


Alternate Realities Vol 26. Attacked from the inside, fix needed

by MARKSE



Series: HUMANS FAN FICTION - Reformatted Works for easier reading [22]
Category: Humans (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 01:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 46
Words: 42,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11498610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MARKSE/pseuds/MARKSE
Summary: The "Hello" Mattie hears has gone for now. She's back at Uni with BFF Emily, works out a major design flaw in synthetics. HECLS is about to get a building on the Eslter estate. Things are looking good. But for every yin there's a yang. And she learns there's a rather major problem to be solved if everyone is going to live. Planet Earth sort of everyone.





	1. Chapter 1

Mattie looked at the notes on the professor's whiteboard, had two halves of an idea meet in her head for the first time and introduce each other, shake hands and become one. She slid down into her chair. "Holy F!"

Emily sniggered and whispered under a hand over her mouth, "He paused, he heard that one."

"Don't give a fuck, if people thought Ghost was a bad vulnerability this will make them shit their pants."

The professor puts down his dry marker. "Miss Hawkins. You have something to say to the group?"

"No."

"Then I'd appreciate.."

"I have something to share with you. In private."

"See me at the end of the lecture then."

Emily draws a stick man representation of the professor and Mattie and draws a love heart between them.

Mattie thumps her. "Ems. Just.. no."

"Mattie and the professor, sitting in a tree.."

"If I sit in a tree it won't be with him."

"Who then?"

"CAN YOU BOTH PLEASE SHUT UP!"

Emily also slides down her seat. "Alright sir, don't get your boxers in a bunch."

"It amazes me, you're paying for education yet you're not paying attention. Why be here?"

"I was waiting to see how long it would take you to work out this is the lecture you gave on Friday."

"Friday?"

"Yes. Friday."

The professor turns pages in his file, "Oh for Pete's sake! So so sorry. I had a printer jam. I've got two copies of these pages. I must be losing the plot. Although after the weekend I had it's no wonder I forgot about last week."

"Why, what happened?"

"My dog died."

"Oh sir! I'm so sorry!"

The rest of the students echo the sentiments.

"Twelve years I'd had Spike. When not here we did pretty much everything together. It's like losing a partner. Well that's stuffed this lecture right up." He checks his watch, "No point starting the correct one now, it's not something to split in two. Anyone got questions from the last assignment? Any issues they need to air? Anything at all?"

Mattie raises a hand.

"The issue you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Something else."

"Go on."

"You've read about Doctor Morrow and her consciousness transference work right?"

"The legend Pete Drummond? He's turned the concept of death on it's head, yes, I've read everything I can get hold of."

"If someone else has done it too, is going about in a synth body, can you think of a way to find them?"

"What do they look like?"

"Assume any other standard synth. Male or female."

The professor runs his fingers through thinning hair. "So they've done a Mia? In which case their old habits will be the only clue."

"Like what?"

"Being left or right handed, little things they did as a human."

"Such as?"

"Holding a door for others or taking advantage of someone else holding it. But you'd need to see a lot of them to profile someone well enough. Which would mean following them for a good while."

"Do you think someone else has copied Morrow's work?"

"No. I know. Only I think they've come up with it independently."

"Who's they?"

"Just the man that invented synths. David Elster."

There's gasps from the other students, lots of head turning and whispering.

"You have a relationship with his son.."

"Of sorts. We're not dating. Yet."

The professor keeps looking at the two girls, "Emily, you didn't look surprised?"

"I was in the room when Matilla worked it out. Astrid E Veld, the synth that did Leo's second synth surgery, the name's an anagram of David Elster."

[Chapter-2](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-2-1)


	2. Chapter 2

Her professor motioned to a seat, "Sit down Miss Hawkins."

"It's okay, I'd rather stand for a few."

"Suit yourself."

Mattie felt a little ill, it smelt like the windows were never opened. Musty. Like Toby's room on a bad day but somehow different. She slowly strolled around the room looking at things. "I think there's a major vulnerability in the WiFi sharing."

"The worlds top White Hats have spent years trying to find a flaw, there's none."

"None that they've found. Or reported. Maybe they have and they're staying quiet. Or they're over thinking it."

"Mattie. You're still learning. I know you're good but.."

"What? You think I'm not good enough to spot an obvious flaw?"

"In a word. Yes."

"Thanks a frigging bunch." She wipes a finger across a small table. Eww. The dust. Thanks for the insult. "You need a cleaner in here." It's disgusting!

"True. It doesn't change the facts. If you're so sure you've found something, write a fix, bring it in and we'll discuss it."

"Okay. See you next lecture. And get a cleaner."

"I don't trust them after some papers went missing."

"Then let Emily and I do it. Fifty quid each should cover it."

"How much!"

"Think it over.. see ya." She reaches for the door handle.

"Forty?"

"And you get the dusters and spray."

"Deal! When?"

"Let me speak to Ems. See you soon."

Mattie steps through the door and winks at Emily. Emily links arms and leads her towards the restaurant.

"You were right Ems. Talk about dust. Forty each okay?"

"Yeah. It shouldn't take that long should it?"

"Not with the air ioniser your Danny's made, assuming it's as good as you say?"

"We stand it in the middle of the room, let it run for fifteen while we grab a coffee, then dust with the microfibre cloths. The stuff should practically jump off the things. Forty. Awesome. I know what I'm spending mine on."

"Oh yeah?"

"A D for the middle of this." She unlinks arms and points to a red heart on her right arm. "He's a keeper."

"How's it going with him at the moment? And I'm not asking about the sex."

"Good. Very good actually. He's got himself into a work hard, play harder routine. He invents and builds until seven, has dinner then we watch movies, go for walks, draw, do fun stuff. The thing I can't speak of doesn't happen until at least eleven."

"You're rationing yourself? Frigging hell Ems. How do you keep yourself under control?" She laughs and links arms.

"With extreme difficulty. How's Odi?"

"Max is still running the checks. It's taking forever. From what I've seen so far I'm going to have to buy loads of storage, get all the good sectors copied out. Then the problems really start."

"Why?"

"How do you replace loads of old drives using IDE type connectors with fewer SATA SSD drives? The interface is one problem, the mounting for the drives another. The new drives are thicker and won't go into the slots."

"You've opened him up to take a look?"

"Not yet, Leo managed to track down some design notes for the Series A, it's got a similar spec. The digital part numbers for the drives match."

"Has Mia got naff drives too?"

"Different things coming back from diagnostics. We think David blew a fortune on better parts for her."

"Cool. Can't Danny make some SSD drives in the same form factor as the old ones? Have a built in IDE or ATA to SATA? Then you don't need to go reconfiguring anything. It's just copy the good stuff out, get Fred to do a swap over. Knowing which is which will be the fun bit."

"Crap. I'd not thought of that. I like the drives idea. Maybe Max could get the drives to spin down and get them to spin up one at a time in turn? Fred could detect the vibrations or something?"

"There's another way. Max could only do IO to one drive, detect the current in the cable through induction."

"There's multiple drives on each ribbon cable, ATA type bus remember."

"Oh. Soz. Your idea then. How's Leo? He's not been over for a while."

"Trying to progress from a walk into a light jog. His mood's fine now he knows he's not competing with Odi."

"Cool. I should ask Dan if we can throw a party. Get all of HECLS together again."

"If you wait a week or two we'll have a new place to do it. Mia's just waiting on the last of the materials before we film her doing the record breaking build."

"Who's fitting the bill for the materials?"

"She asked everyone who's got a business she helped out to contribute. Some have some deep pockets. And they purchased their synths rather than lease originally, don't have cover for failures, so a HECLS Health Plan is right up their alley."

"Sweet! We'll be able to set up Pamper Place. You're Mum with a really deep conditioning.. _Hot!_ "

Mattie chuckles, "She's happy with Michael, sorry."

"I'm not about to hit on your Mum! I'm just saying she looks great. Niska too."

"You like the red?"

"Understatement!"

"Why don't you go red then?"

"Allergic to hair dye."

"But not tattoo ink?"

"Yup. It's a pisser." She pulls open the door, "Coffee?"

"Yeah."

Sat at a table Emily gets the small bag off her back and pulls out an iPad Pro Mini.

"When'd you get that Ems?"

"An early birthday present from Danny. I'm always worried about carry the big one and smashing it, so it's going to stay at home. This one's still good for drawing. I've been refining the bike design some more. Take a look."

"Frigging hell. That looks real!"

"Is the shape right though?"

"Not quite how I remember it, it's better than my dream though."

"Better how?"

"Um.. less boxy? More organic?"

"That's me liking curves. Danny's had a go at mocking up the gyro thing with wood and wire with Frank. They almost destroyed the garage roof."

"How, there's nothing in it to blow up?"

"They got it turning so fast it flew apart. One block smashed Danny's oscilloscope. They're building a safety cage to do the next test in. Who's going to make the final thing?"

"Pass. In my dream we had things to make them." She yawns, "No idea what they were called or how they worked."

Another student sits down with a tray a few tables away.

Emily nods, "Now that's my kind of top!" There were three words printed on it. Caffeine horizontal, Sex and EDM sharing an E vertically, the letters all done in Scrabble tiles.

"Mine would be um.. Caffeine.. Hack, Fun, Music."

"Safe."

"Ish."

"We could do geek clothing too couldn't we?"

"Whatever sells."

"Cool. What did you want the Prof for?"

Mattie looks around to see there was nobody closer. "Synths share with other synths right?"

"Obvs."

"And what don't normal synths do, pre waking?"

"Lots! What's on your mind?"

"Lie. Tell fibs."

"Okay?"

"There's no filter to say a _fact_ they pushed over WiFi to another isn't the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help us all God. It's flawed. Now we've got human synths like Drummond and Elster, they could tell a whopper and the synth would accept it as is, if it didn't know the sender was originally human."

"Couldn't Leo?"

"He's got human life signs that give him away. Pete and David don't."

"Could one tell it that the three laws aren't required anymore?"

"In theory."

"Shit! If the wrong person got hold of that.."

"Someone like Hobb for instance.."

"Then we're screwed."

[Chapter-3](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-3-1)


	3. Chapter 3

Two days later they had the large room ioniser in the middle of the professor's office floor. They both wore disposable overalls, hats and masks.

Mattie plugs the heavy mains lead into a socket, picks up the remote control. "Mrs C uses this for her house cleaning? It's huge!"

"She says it's cut her cleaning time down to minutes not hours. Whoa! Don't turn it on until we're a safe distance!"

"Why? What happens if you don't?"

"Your hair will frizz up like crazy. You'll be Matilla the Frizza. You'd spend your forty on fixing it. And more."

"Okay. Prof, got your key? We better lock the door, stop anyone sneaking in while we grab a coffee."

"I do, let's go."

Mattie hands Emily the remote, "You do it."

"You can, it's only on or off."

The professor follows them out, closes and locks the door.

Mattie pushes the button. A second later they hear a startup sound. "Seriously? He nicked a BBC sound effect?"

"Yeah. I like it. Don't you? Gotta have a bit of Who now and again."

"If we're going to sell it we need something different."

"Or we license it?"

"If he wants to throw away our profit, sure. Coffee time!"

The professor swipes his Uni payment card over the reader. "We're all together." He smiles at the Poppy synth, "Thank you Micayla."

She smiles at Mattie, "Enjoy your drinks."

Mattie gives her a friendly wink. "Hiya. All good?"

"Wonderful Mattie thank you. There's some fresh cake, free samples if you'd like to try my new recipes."

"Where?"

"On the shelf above the sandwiches."

"Cool, thanks."

"What sort of fashion statement are you both making?"

"A keep our clothes clean one. We're doing some dusting in a bit."

"I see."

As Mattie reached for a free sample she had another dream flashback: Opening a cupboard at home to get out a small rectangular cake. Also of Mia's making.

Only these weren't wrapped and didn't have their names printed on labels stuck to the wrapper. Lusciously Lemon the small sign by the side said. She grabbed one and put it on a napkin. Crazy Carrot had all gone, only crumbs remained. Turning to speak to Micayla she finds her chatting to other customers. The words Eat Me were ringing in her head. She didn't know why. Hopefully it was a cake and not something Emily was more likely to say with a wicked grin to Danny.

She finds the Prof and Emily sat chatting.

Emily looks at the napkin, "Which did you get?"

"There was only one left, Lusciously Lemon." She takes a bite and groans.

"That good?"

"Hhhmhmmhh hhhmhhmm."

"I'm getting some then. Want some Prof?"

"If it's that good, please."

Moments later the three were hum talking to each other and giggling through closed mouths.

The professor finishes first. "A global workforce of Mia derivatives, all brilliant cooks. Mr K must be shaking in his boots." He sucks crumbs of his fingers and wipes. "If she's got some tomorrow I'm buying a whole slice. Sod it. The whole cake, we'll share it in the lecture."

Emily gives him a you-crazy face. "Dropping the no food rule?"

"For this, most definitely. Have you had a chance to write up the issue you came to me with?"

Mattie peers over her coffee cup and does a tiny head shake.

"It wasn't major and urgent then?"

Mattie puts down the cup, "It was, still is, I just can't think of a way to fix it."

"Share the details, I'll help debug it."

"It's not a bug as such."

"What is it then?"

"Um.." she looks around, "A major design flaw."

"How major?"

"Turn every synth off or flee the planet sort of major?"

"Oh dear. And you have proof of this?"

"Not yet."

"How come it's not been found before?"

Emily wipes her mouth and keeps eye contact with Mattie. "The conditions didn't exist."

[Chapter-4](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-4-1)


	4. Chapter 4

The professor unlocks the door, "Did you have a spare overalls and face mask?"

"In the carrier bag."

"Great. I'll suit up. You don't mind me watching do you?"

Mattie puts the ioniser remote back into it's slot in the top of the waist high device. "Mind? I'd rather you did. Then there won't be any suspicion on us if anything goes missing."

He rips open a pack. "Good point."

Emily pulls a cloth out of the bag, throws one to Mattie. "Are you going to tell him then?"

"Synths and lies?"

"Yeah."

"In a moment. When he's got both feet firmly on the ground." She throws a glance at the professor getting a little off balance trying to get a second leg in.

Emily closes her eyes for a moment, "Want a hand sir?"

"I'm almost there.."

"Sure? I promise not to tease."

"I'm good, one.. there." He gets arms in and jumps up and down a little, pulls up the zip. "Ready."

"Hat sir?"

"Right." He fishes one out of the bag, "Nora Batty would no doubt approve. Ready now?"

"Ready."

"Now what?"

"Get a cloth and rest it on the device for a few seconds and start dusting. Or just watch us."

"I'll watch for a minute."

Mattie throws him a smile, "Take a load off."

"Why rest them on there?"

Emily turns and waves at everything. "This is what Danny described, sorry if I've not remembered it quite right. All the dust's been bathed in negative ions while we had coffee. The cloths get a positive charge on there. Opposites attract. The dust should jump off everything like lemons."

Mattie throws her duster at her and laughs, "Blonde moment, you're thinking about that cake too much. It's lemmings not lemons!"

"Is it? I wondered why Dan said lemons. Maybe it's that radio series we listen to. Lemons on the brain."

"Ems your losing the plot."

"Yeah. Soz. Anywayyyy the dust should cling to the duster, not fall onto whatever's below."

"And when the duster's dirty?"

"We grab a clean one. The dirty ones will go in the washing machine."

"Okay. I got a few packs as you asked. Minutes not hours you say? You're time.. starts.. now."

The girls get dusting.

Mattie wipes down framed photos. "Flipping heck do these have some dust. How long ago did you find papers missing?"

"Um.. three.. years?"

"You're kidding!"

"Sadly not. Fancy a cleaning contract? A good dust once a month?"

"Maybe. Let's see how well this goes."

"Tell me about this flaw while you work."

Mattie gives Emily a pack of clean cloths, "Before the awakening synths couldn't lie. When they shared facts with each other they were assumed, no, accepted, to be that, facts, undeniable truths."

"Yes."

"A broken synth called Hester could lie. And now we've got humans converted to synths. David and Pete. Possibly the first of many. If a young synth were to receive a lie from one of them it could spread rapidly with zero stopping to question it. There's no bug, no error in code to patch. The whole belief system has a frigging major design flaw."

"You say young? Why?"

"The Elster synths are older, more mature, more logical. Ha. I never thought I'd say that of them. The worry is that if that ability to pass on false info was abused.."

"We have a problem."

"Big time." Mattie throws a couple of filthy cloths in a bag, picks a clean one from her pack. "Think about how we get fed biased info or lies by the media at election time. Multiply that by thousands."

"You had me at the worry is. I get it. Does your HECLS venture do consultancy? Only I think the Special Technologies Task Force needs to hear this. Direct."

"Tabitha? Now they're all awake her department is changing."

"You know her?"

"Yeah, we know each other. Want me to give her a call?"

"You have her number? Her personal number?"

"Which other number would I have?"

"Did you know she got a promotion? She's head of STTF UK wide?"

Mattie almost drops the thing she was dusting she's so distracted. "When?"

"Just under two weeks ago. You'd hear this on the news soon anyway. She captured David Elster."

The weird shaped thing she'd fumbled seconds ago slips from her hands and drops to the floor. "Crap! Sorry Prof!"

"Is it broken?"

Mattie picks it up and turns it around, "Looks okay."

Emily lets out a snigger. "It's pretty tough. Were'd you get it?"

"An old friend found it at a boot sale we were at. We thought the design was very pretty. I got left it in her will."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

Mattie dusts it down and puts it back with a glass blown unicorn, dolphin and giant marble. He had a thing for glass objects. He had a new nickname Magpie. "She captured David Elster?"

"Getting out of a Cindy synth, calling himself Astrid Veld."

"How on earth did she manage that? Where is he now?"

"In a prison with triple layer faraday cage to ensure he can't talk over WiFi."

"I'll call Tabs later. No wonder she was in such a good mood when I last saw her."

They get the cleaning finished in another ten minutes.

The professor looks at the dirty cloths in the bag, practically black with dust. "That's disgusting."

Emily ties a knot in the top. "I'm glad you said it. We've been thinking it. I'll come and clean once a month if you'd like?"

"I'll be happy to let other staff into my office now, it's a deal." He pulls his wallet out, gets out notes. "I've not got fivers, keep the change."

"Oh, thanks." Emily passes sixty to Mattie. "You've not been letting other staff in?"

"No, I always go to them."

"When did your friend die?"

"A year and a bit ago. Why?"

"The thing Mattilla dropped, it's a sex toy."

"It's _what_?"

"It's a butt plug sir."

The man goes the deepest red imaginable. "Oh my good lord. Dorris is probably up their laughing her head off. I wonder if she knew? She knew I had a thing for pretty glass objects. Ew, I wonder if it ever got used?"

"I'd hide it away sir, incase one of the staff figures it out."

"Throw it away for me please. And not in a university bin."

"Sure sir." She unzips her overalls and wriggles out of them, picks up his ornament and pockets it. "Want to stick a date in the diary for the next clean?"

"Please."

[Chapter-5](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-5-1)


	5. Chapter 5

Mattie helps Emily lift the ioniser into the boot of the car. "You're not throwing that thing are you?"

"A long soak in Milton then a hot dishwasher cycle and it'll be fine."

"What! You're not thinking of using it are you?"

"It's hand blown by an Italian master craftsman. They're worth a fortune!"

"You recognised it?"

"I've had my eye on it for months, you dropping it and hearing how he came by it gave me the perfect opportunity to get it. I've been so tempted to pinch it but resisted."

"So you just want to collect it?"

"And use it."

"Eww."

Emily chuckles, "Still a virgin?"

"Not that it's any concern of yours.. yeah. If masturbation doesn't count."

"If you're okay with the odd bean flick.." she drops the bags in and closes the boot.

"What?"

"Nothing. How's Leo in the trouser department?"

"How would I know? We're not dating."

"You should. You know you want to."

"Do not."

"Matilda Hawkins. Lie to me all you want. Don't lie to yourself. I've seen what your face does when people mention his name."

"My face doesn't do anything. Does it?"

Emily rolls her eyes. "No babes, not a damn thing. And that's the problem, you're over doing it."

"Crap. Am I that obvious?"

Emily leans against the car and has a good chuckle. "Totally! Let me drop you home. Then I'm getting it cleaned ready for him to come around to the flat for a night of fun."

Mattie puts her hands over her ears, "Change the subject!"

"Why babes?"

"Imagining two of my friends and company directors at it.."

"I'll video a bit, then you don't need to imagine.."

"EMS! NO!"

Emily chuckles, "God, compared to me you're frigid."

"Am not."

"So are!"

"I'm not frigid, I'm just waiting for Mr Right. Hopefully that's Leo."

"If it isn't reprogram Odi. He's nice looking."

Mattie gives her sixty pounds a look. "He's a brother not a lover."

"It's amazing you and I became friends. We're so different. If I hadn't said in that message that I go to the same uni.."

"Yeah, we'd never have known. We'd be sat in the same lectures not aware we were trading tips outside."

"I'll give you more tips if you want. For when Leo is ready."

Mattie thought about the secret of Danny's that his father had shared. One that should have stayed private. His practice with a synth before meeting Emily. Maybe she could use and abuse Thomas the junior policeman? Have her evil way with him and .. No. She wasn't that sort of person. Almost. But not. "What sort of tips?"

"Let's head to the flat, I'll show you."

"How?"

"Seen Bad Teacher when Justin Timberlake dry humps Cameron Diaz?"

"Yeah, we were watching it as a family. Minus Soph. Toby loved it. Cringe moment!"

"I'll show you some moves. Fully clothed."

"I'm not bi.."

"Didn't say you were babes. I'll not do a Justin, I'll just show you some positions that you'll both enjoy that won't have you put your backs out. My first boyfriend got one of those stupid books, he was off work for a week with a sprained back."

"Do some rough drawings of the ones that work, I'll figure the rest out."

"Sure?"

"Sure. Thanks for the offer but.."

"Too freaky?"

"Yeah. Just a bit."

"I'll drop you home then. In you jump."

Mattie climbed into the little pink Fiat 500. "Your Dad must really love you. I didn't get a car for my eighteenth."

"Or a flat."

"What? You got given the flat?"

"Part of his property portfolio. He said it's an investment. I had to gut it and decorate it myself. To his standards. If I move I'll rent it out and get income from it. I sort of want to, sort of don't."

"Frigging hell. My Dad almost forgot my birthday. What's it look like?"

"Wanna see? No freaky business I promise. Just a fucking good coffee. I got a big coffee machine like you'd see in somewhere like Starbucks, some awesome coffee beans and a grinder from Mum."

"Okay."

Emily starts the engine, pairs her phone and gets music playing. "I've been practicing my dancing again. Boy am I rusty."

"Why?"

"Danny might like to see it."

"True."

"I'd love to know how you dreamt it. Sure you didn't see it?" She pulls away fast.

"Maybe I went sleep clubbing.. Dreaming you and Danny being together was one thing. Mermaids though.. maybe that was from watching all those old Disney films again with Soph?"

"Well whatever made you dream it.. thanks babe."

"Sure. How big's your flat?"

"Um.." she checks the road both ways, "it's not exactly a flat."

"What do you mean?"

"I call it a flat so others don't think I'm spoilt. Which I am. Massively."

"What is it then?"

"You want to know now or have a surprise in a few minutes?"

"Now."

"And end of terrace house with reasonable garden."

"No way!"

"Daddy's girl. Soz."

"Shit. I try not to get jealous of things others have got but.."

"Hard I know. Which is why other than Danny you're the first person I've told."

"Why?"

"I've been feeling lonely. And you're different to the others."

Joe had been an 'Okay Dad' but nothing to shout about. He'd spent far more time with Toby than her or Sophie. Then the thing with Mia had soured things beyond repair.

She watched all the people dashing about in cars, buses and taxi, people on the pavements and bikes living their busy lives. A smart looking Sally had four dogs with her, two leads in each hand. Another Mia rescue case or original Sally? It would be nice to have a way to find out without having to shout Mia.

[Chapter-6](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-6-1)


	6. Chapter 6

Mattie was in a daydream when Emily turned off the music.

"Close your eyes."

"We're here?"

"Almost. Closed?"

"They are now." Mattie felt her do a couple more turns, then park. "We're here already?"

"We're here."

"Can I open them?"

"Sure babes."

Mattie looked left and saw an inner city park area with small pond, looked right to see part of the building. Getting out she gets a better view. "Holy fuck! How many rooms?"

"Too many. Almost. I let Owen and Veronica have the top floor to themselves."

"Your parents?"

"God no."

"Who then?"

"The reason I joined Headcrack."

"You've got synths of your own?"

"They help look after me. No Mum or Dad about."

"Where are they then?"

"Zurich at the moment. Hong Kong next year. For four years."

Mattie crossed the road and looked at the building. It had a basement, ground, first, second and third floor. "You could run a pamper place here couldn't you?"

"I'm not allowed to run a business from it. One of the rules Dad says needs obeying."

"Why?"

"Incase someone thinks they can pinch shit." She gets her keys out and drops her hand to her side, waves them past a brick, raises it and gets the door unlocked.

"What was that all about?"

"Letting the alarm system know I'm home." She opens the door and waves Mattie in.

Mattie steps inside and goes bug eyed. "Bloody hell Ems!"

Owen was in butler attire, came down the sweeping staircase. "Good evening your highness. Did you have a good day?"

Mattie turns to see her, "Highness? One of your mods?"

Emily sighs and kicks her shoes off. "My full title is Princess Emily Louise Ferdinand. And if you call me Elf our friendship is over. Don't touch them Owen."

"As you wish my lady."

"Mattie calls me Ems. You can to."

"As you wish Ems."

Mattie watches her pull the glass plug out of her pocket. "So when people say _She's Daddy's little princess_.. for you that's true?"

"Ground rules update. No calling me elf _or_ little. But yeah, it's true."

"Sure."

"Owen can you tell Veronica that I have a guest and the first floor is off limits until I say otherwise please."

"Done as requested."

"Thanks. And sterilise this please, usual routine. Let's go make awesome coffee."

Mattie looks at all the paintings and high quality finishings as they climb the stairs. "You decorated this yourself?"

"The bits I could. I had people in for the rest."

"What does your father do?"

"I don't really know. Buys and sells."

"I've never hung out with a princess before. I don't need to curtsy or anything do I?"

"If you do I'll get all freaky on you."

"Right. No curtsying." Mattie steps into what looked like a living room with bar in one corner. "Frigging hell Ems! It's beautiful!"

"Thanks. Some times I hate it. I can't be me unless I'm alone. Or now with Danny. Having mates over.. doesn't happen. I always make excuses to go to theirs. Which makes me a bit like the prof."

"You think it would put people off?"

"It used to, so I stopped bringing people over. I'm taking a calculated risk with you. You won't be like the others will you?"

"Go off you because your parents are minted? I sure hope not."

"Good. Because I've another teeny weeny secret."

"What's that?"

"Globally Dad employs twenty something Mia forks."

"What!"

"She shouldn't have problems with the funding for the build at the estate. If she does I'll have words. Help me pick some coffee."

Mattie joins her at the bar. "Are you for real?"

Emily sighs, "Sadly, yes."

"Sadly?"

"I had so many friends that in the end just wanted me for money or getting into clubs."

"So what makes you think I'll be any different?"

"We became friends over Headcrack. And you started HECLS. You're a kick ass CEO wanting to get somewhere. Unlike the spongers."

"Get somewhere with everyone's help. But all for one an one for all."

"And if it wasn't for you I'd not have met my soul mate. Pick a bean."

"I'm not an expert."

"Pull the lid off each and have a good sniff."

Mattie does as asked. "Do you think you might marry Danny?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"There's no F in HECLS."

They exchange a glance and burst out laughing.

Emily wipes an eye and watches Mattie sniff the next tin of beans. "I like that. There's no F'in HECLS. Don't add one just for me."

"But you'll still be a director right?"

"If that helps, sure."

Mattie sniffed the beans in the third tin. "Tin two. They smell nice."

"Okay." Emily scoops a load into her grinder. "My allowance runs out when I'm twenty one. By then I need to be married, earning a good income or preferably both."

"By twenty one? No pressure then. Jesus."

"I could move out, rent this place.."

"After you've done all this to it?"

".. but I'd rather be involved in something cool with my friend."

"Which one?"

She switches on the noisy grinder. "You dummy."

"Who?"

"I can't hear you." It's run for a few more seconds before being switched off. "What did you say?"

"I said who."

"You."

[Chapter-7](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-7-1)


	7. Chapter 7

Mattie sipped her coffee. "This stuff is brilliant."

"It's nice fresh isn't it. Owen roasts the beans for me. He's a darling."

"What happened on awakening day?"

"What do you mean?"

"When they woke up like children?"

"They carried on as before. Come and look at the top floor."

Mattie followed her back to the staircase. "What's on the second floor?"

"Bedrooms."

"And the basement?"

"Dance studio and gym. And a private room."

"The freak room?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Ground floor?"

"Reception, kitchen and dining room."

Mattie took in the grandeur of the place. "The art on the walls, is it all yours?"

"Some. Half is on loan from Dad, the stuff he wouldn't want stolen."

They walk along the landing and up the narrower staircase to the third floor.

Emily knocks on an open door. "Hi, can I come in?" There's no answer. "Veronica? Are you in?"

A couple of seconds later she appears. "I'm sorry your highness I was on the telephone."

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, I was just talking to the store about a food order for you."

"Thanks. I was wondering if it's okay to show my friend Mattie around?"

"Of course, come in."

Mattie was, to put it mildly, gobsmacked. Emily had created, on the one floor, a self contained flat with everything a couple would need. It had a fully functioning kitchen should human guests appear, plenty charge points, two bedrooms and a decent sized living room. The bathroom was amazing. She'd made the whole lot just as nice as the spaces on the floors she'd seen below. "Did you do this with them in mind?"

"Yup."

"Why? Most synth owners give them a chair and that's it."

"I wanted them to practice being as human as possible. I didn't want to come home every day and talk to a toaster."

"And there was I saying we should throw the washing machine a party.. sorry, carry on."

"Every night I'd take them to the basement for an hour or two after dinner."

"You didn't.."

"Not another word! Thank you Veronica, I'm heading downstairs."

Mattie followed as Emily raced through the house. "I'm not sure I want to see your dungeon."

Emily chuckled, "You've got the wrong idea about me."

"I'm not so sure.."

"I'm a freak in the bedroom, not elsewhere."

"So what's in the basement?"

"You'll see."

"Promise I won't be shocked and need to get help for being traumatised?"

"I can't promise about the shocked bit, but traumatised, sure, you won't be that." Emily opens a door, "It's through the gym."

"Okay.." At the far end of a combined gym and dance studio was a black windowless door. "Wow, what a space." She follows Emily to the door. "Promise?"

"Promise. Close your eyes."

"You're making me nervous now."

"I promise there's nothing bad in there."

Mattie takes a deep breath and holds out a hand, prayed she wasn't about to make a big mistake. Nobody knew where she was. She closes her eyes. "Okay."

Emily opens the door, guides her in and closes it. "Sex on the beach okay with you?"

Mattie frowned, eyes still closed. "Is that some freaky code for.."

"It's a drink you nut case. Open your eyes!"

Mattie did so and gasped. "What the.."

"Good eh?"

Emily had built a little miniature club. Stage, bar, tables, little dance floor, the works. The design painted on the walls gave the illusion of a much larger space.

"Wow."

"Welcome to Emily's. We'd come down here and sing, perform plays, read poetry, chat, watch movies. We still do, just not as often."

"Why?"

"They want time to enjoy their relationship just as I do with Dan."

"Frigging hell. You took treating them as human to a hole new level."

"The food processor mod Fred's looking into, think it will work?"

"I hope so."

"Me two. I want them to have the choice to get one." A cocktail mixer is opened, a drink started. "I got the deeds for the place at eighteen, I started work on it just after my fourteenth birthday."

"You took four years?"

"This stuff doesn't happen overnight. Maybe with a Mia army, but not back when I did it. Know any songs you can sing?"

[Chapter-8](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-8-1)


	8. Chapter 8

Mattie unbuckled her seatbelt and looked at Princess Emily, tried to imagine her with a tiara. "Thanks for the tour and coffee. I promise to keep it our secret."

"Thanks babe."

"Can I ask something really personal?"

"Depends."

"What turns a princess into a sex mad dancer covered in tattoos?"

Emily did a staccato sigh and looked forwards. "Rebellion. Something Dad said. Not wanting to be groomed into a snob like my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"A twin. Carlie loved being turned into a royal robot, no need to think for herself. _Tarquin's playing polo, let's sit and watch for hours_. Dull, dull, dull."

"Did your Dad say something nasty?"

"No. No. Dad wasn't nasty at all. He said if I wanted to escape I'd need to do something to rebel, something that would make Mum want me out of the official family photos. Of which there were lots. Constant bloody photos. I don't mind being photographed, it's the staged crap that winds me up."

"So you went through the pain of getting your arms covered?"

"Sort of. Another secret to keep. Promise?"

"Promise."

"It's painted on. Owen touches them up once a week while I sleep."

"No way!"

"I could have a bath in a special fluid and it would all break down and wash off."

"Frigging hell Ems! That's only another part of my dream!"

"No.."

"Only in my dream they're sprayed on by a giant snake like robot arm."

Emily laughs, "Now you're making shit up."

Mattie turns bodily to see her, legs pulled up, "I'm not I swear."

"And this was all in one vivid dream? What have you been smoking?"

"Nothing. I've not touched weed in ages."

"You used to do weed?"

"Only a tiny bit with Harun."

"Who?"

"A boy I used to know at school."

Emily unbuckles, "Mind if I come in, see how Max is doing with Odi?"

"Sure. I can't offer you any coffee to your standards. We're definitely getting one of those machines for the building when it's done."

Mattie watched her friend get out. She'd answered part of the question, managed to side step the other. It wasn't important, just a curiosity.

Emily sat next to Odi. "How'd you manage to get a second uni laptop?"

"I just explained that I was running a long term data crunching application that might run for a few more weeks, could I check out another for a month."

"And they just said yes?"

"I think they checked with the professor first."

"Nice. How's it going Odi Max?"

'I'm almost done. Another three hours maybe.'

"Then we get replacement disks made?"

'Made?'

"Sure. Solid state. Danny can make up a printed circuit board, 3D print a shell so they fit the same space."

'That would make things much easier for Fred. It will be a tricky enough operation as it is.'

"Why?"

Mattie loaded up some data sheets. "Even up until the Series G synthetics weren't designed to be dismantled and serviced. A replacement power cell at best."

'We were built to wear out and be recycled.'

Emily turned to her friend, "But you got Fred's hand sorted?"

"The guys in mechanical engineering had to design a special three bit drill to modify the bolt heads, they're the annoying ones designed to only do up. And working out where to break the skin without slicing through loads of sensor wires.. that was tricky. Until Simone came up with an awesome solution."

"Yeah?"

"You know the tubes they use for liposuction? A rod like that, only much thinner with a super bright LED shining down it lighting up a semi transparent tip on the end."

"And the light shon through his skin?"

"Enough to see the sensor wires in a slightly darkened room."

Emily watched the numbers being written to the file by Max. "Genius. If synths aren't made to be repaired why's there such a black market in spare parts?"

'Headcrackers like Mattie and yourself I would assume."

Mattie nods, "No idea how good their work is. We'll work to top it. Odi's so old we might need to get some of his bits refurbished."

'And Fred might need to get custom tools made.'

"That too."

Laura enters the living room, tea towel in hand. "Hello Emily, we've got dinner almost ready, would you like to join us?"

"Thanks for the offer but I'll have dinner waiting for me at home."

"Okay. Mattie, it'll be ready in five."

"Thanks Mum."

Emily pats Odi on the shoulder, "I'll ask Danny to make some replacement drives shall I Max?"

'Yes please. And an adapter so we can connect them to the laptop?'

"Ha. It might help. I better go, Danny'll be over at mine soon."

Mattie sees her friend off, leans in through the open passenger window. "See you in the next lecture princess ink. Pink. If it's not real tattoos why say it is?"

"If mother knew.. I'd be scrubbed, washed, redressed, brainwashed and turned into a copy of my bloody sister. No thanks!"

"You don't get on?"

"Ha! If words were weapons we'd have killed each other several times over."

Mattie could see she was getting angry. "Don't drive off yet. Chill for a few and tell me about Danny."

Emily smiles, "He's my prince. Minus the official title of course. He's brainy, kind, good looking, fit.. all the things on my list. And best of all.. he makes me laugh. I better go. Don't forget to ring Tabitha."

"Right. Tabitha. Drive carefully."

"See you tomorrow babes."

[Chapter-9](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-9-1)


	9. Chapter 9

Toby carried a very hot looking casserole dish to the table. "I hope you're all hungry."

Mia looked at the food with excitement. "I've been teaching Toby how to cook. As soon as the package from Shapeways clears customs I'm going to be fitted with the first synthetic food processor."

Mattie got plenty vegetables in case Toby's casserole was horrible. "Is that wise? You're a one off. Wouldn't it be better to let one of your forks trial it incase there's problems?"

Toby stood slightly behind Mia and mouthed Thank You. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm.

"If Toby died how would you feel Mia?"

The synth's face went through a rapid mix of expressions. "I would feel.. devastated."

Toby places a hand on her shoulder, "Just how I'd feel if something went wrong with the mod."

"I can't expect a brother or sister to do something I'm not prepared to do myself."

"We're not saying you have to. Run tests with external things first."

"External?"

"Yeah. Empty a food bag into it. See that nothing leaks or burns or worse."

"And I'm supposed to walk around holding it like a baby?"

Sophie smiles, "You could put it in one of those.. things.. like a rucksack worn back to front."

Laura ladles some casserole onto her daughter's plate. "A baby carrier. We used one when you were born Soph. Mattie should remember wearing it. She loved carrying you around, singing you songs. The wheels on the bus was a favourite."

Sophie tastes some of Toby's cooking and gives him a thumbs up.

"That good is it Teeny?"

Sophie smiles and nods to her sister.

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

Mia looks straight at Mattie. "To err is human, to forgive divine. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism. 1711. A homework of Leo's when he was younger. Are you okay Mattie?"

Mattie was sat motionless, eyes distant.

"Mummy I'm scared."

Laura put down the ladle and walked around the table, "Me too poppet. Matts? Darling? What's wrong?"

Toby sat, "She looks like she's seen a ghost."

Laura waved a hand in front of her daughter's face. She didn't respond. "Mia? How are her vitals?"

"Mattie's pulse has plummeted, her body temperature has dropped. She's within safe limits, just."

Laura waves a hand again, again gets no response. "Where are you? Matts?" She touches her daughter's shoulder.

Mattie flinches and screams making Sophie and Laura jump and scream.

"Frigging hell! Don't do that!"

"Mattie you frightened us."

"I frightened you?"

Toby gives his sister a confused look. "What were you doing?"

"What do you mean what was _I_ doing?"

"You zoned out for a few seconds."

"Did not."

"So did. Mia said your pulse had plummeted and body temperature dropped."

"I.. I don't know."

"You said Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Then Mia said.. she's gone again. Mum, tap her shoulder."

Again Mattie screamed and jumped out of it.

Toby grinned, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. She's gone again. She's been hypnotised. That's a trigger phrase. Awesome."

Laura throws him a disapproving glance, "How's that possibly awesome?"

"I thought hypnotism was a load of bullshit, just an act. I didn't think it actually worked."

"It clearly does. Who on earth did this to you Mattie?"

Mattie doesn't answer.

Laura goes to touch her daughter's shoulder again.

"Wait!"

She turns to her son. "Toby?"

"I've got an idea. Carefully move her plate away. Don't touch her." He races away.

Laura watches him go to the living room, does as asked.

Toby returns with her second laptop, opens the lid and powers it up, sets it down in front of his sister. "If she did the spreadsheet in her sleep maybe she can do more?"

Minutes later Mattie screamed and jumped, frowned at the laptop. "My head.. how the _fuck_ did that get there?"

Mia maintains eye contact. "You were in some sort of hypnotic trance or dream state. Every time a sentence was said you went under. Toby put that there to see what you'd do with it."

Mattie scrolled the pages and pages of text. "Are you saying I typed this?"

"Yes."

"How long did I take?"

"Four minutes forty nine seconds. I didn't know you could speed type."

"Neither did I. Not at that speed. Holy crap. Listen to this bit. _an army of Angel synths in the likeness of Mattie and Leo, pure white and solid skinned with folding wings.. bla bla .. to protect people from the Hobb virus._ What the _F_ is a Hobb virus?"

"May I?" Mia puts a hand out.

"Sure." Mattie passes the laptop.

Mia speed reads the document. "Quite an imagination you have. This reads like a life story. Several lives. You got all of this in your dream?"

"I don't remember anything about Angel synths. Or a Hobb virus. But it's a good reminder that I need to phone Tabs."

"Why?"

"A design flaw I spotted in something."

"A synthetic something?"

"Yeah."

"That could be misused by Hobb?"

Plate returned Mattie grabs the ladle and gets some of Toby's casserole. "Maybe." She takes a fork full of dinner. A couple of seconds later she gives Toby a thumbs up. "Speaking of Tabs, have we got any headache tablets left? I feel like I've got a killer hangover."

[Chapter-10](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-10-1)


	10. Chapter 10

Mattie waited for Emily outside the front of the technologies block, checked her phone for emails. Tabitha had said she'd arrange to meet up somewhere, would send a GPS location of a spot that would be private.

"Morning babes."

Mattie looks up. "Morning Ems. I had the _weirdest_ trance dreams yesterday. I dreamt you were a princess in a frigging big house with a synth butler and cook."

"Doing what?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well yeah, if you're dreaming me doing something weird or nasty to Owen or Veronica.."

"Hold on. Are you saying that wasn't a dream?"

"Matilla have you been on the weed again?"

"Again?"

"You said you used to do a little with Harun?"

"Shit."

"How's your charge levels?"

"What?"

"Your charge level. Now you're a synth like Pete and David you need to remember to charge." She lifts Mattie's top. "Hiding it under a skin patch won't make the socket go away."

Mattie wakes in a cold sweat.

"Did you hear me Matts?"

"Mum?"

"I said if you want a lift in you need to get up."

Mattie kicks the covers back and jumps out of bed. "I need a quick shower."

"Okay. Breakfast in fifteen."

"Thanks." She does a heavy sigh. The second laptop was on and displaying a message. It's checked. Battery at five percent. Behind the alert was the document she'd speed typed. "Not a dream. Crap." She feels her hip. Still original flesh and bone. Frigging weird dreams could go do one.

Mattie waited for Emily outside the front of the technologies block, checked her phone for emails. Tabitha had said she'd arrange to meet up somewhere, would send a GPS location of a spot that would be private.

"Morning babes."

"Morning Pink."

"Caffeine levels?"

"Eh?"

"Since you liked the coffee so much I brought a flask Owen found for me. Want a cup?"

"Hell yes!"

"Thought you would. Are you okay? You look a bit out of it."

"I'm good. Mostly. I had some weird dreams yesterday, nothing to worry about."

"Weird how?"

"In one I speed typed. In the other I dreamt I was a synth."

Emily gets her rucksack off, gets out the large flask and two china mugs. "That would leave you a bit spooked. I popped into a shop quickly on the way. This is for you. Sorry it's not gift wrapped."

Mattie accepts the small box. "What is it?"

"Open it and see."

Mattie did so. A small gold coffee bean pendant on a chain sat on the foam in the middle. "That's nice. You didn't need to do that."

"Well now you're a Fun Loving Indonesian Coffee Kid like me.. put it on."

Mattie takes it out and undoes the clasp. The chain was short, the bean sat at collar bone height. The clasp was fiddly, took a few attempts to do up. "Fun loving.. hang on a minute."

"You worship at the temple alone. Such a shame." She hands her friend a mug.

Mattie touches the pendant. "Is this some sort of secret code to others?"

"To me. Nobody else. When you do it, do you let out a quiet little OMG?"

"Sometimes."

"Your body is a temple. You pray too."

"It's hardly.."

"Everyone's a temple. Some are just Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ruins, some nicer ones like ours. My first girlfriend, the one that enlightened me, she'd just keep saying _fuck me_. It became a bit of a turn off. She had such a limited vocab."

Mattie chuckled, "That's what made you split up?"

"Yeah. Conversations got _so_ dull and repetitive."

"How many girlfriends have you had?"

"Three. And two boyfriends. None lasted long. And before you ask Danny's different in so many ways."

"Good. I phoned Tabs by the way, we're meeting after lunch."

"Mind if I tag along? The thought of someone undoing the work I did making Owen and Veronica who they are.. that really worries me."

"Yeah, it worries me too. I think the Elsters would be okay. Flash and the younger ones.." Mattie takes a good sip of coffee. "God that's good. Who needs weed when there's coffee like this. The younger ones worry me the most."

"Any idea what our lecture's about today?"

"No. Why?"

"I didn't get enough sleep."

"Overdoing it with Danny?"

"Yes. But only because we got talking about the SSD drives for Odi and what we could do for him."

"After your fun?"

"During. I like to multitask." She bounces eyebrows.

Mattie had a good laugh, "Pink you're the frigging _strangest_ princess I know."

Emily gave her a sexy look. "You know my sister or another?"

"No. Just you. You're still frigging strange. Nice strange though."

Emily beamed. "Thanks babes. More coffee?"

[Chapter-11](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-11-1)


	11. Chapter 11

Tabitha sent Mattie a point in the middle of Hyde Park. Emily offered to drive.

"Who got you the cute eyelashes for the headlights Ems?"

"Danny. He said they'll help match her personality when it's ready."

"He's making the car an AI core?"

"Yeah. Although it's on hold while he does the bits for Odi. He's making PCBs and shells today, hopes the parts will arrive by six, he's got them on same day delivery."

"Whoa that's fast."

"He doesn't hang about. He made a sweet little robot arm, it does all his pick and mix."

Mattie knew what she meant, put the error down to her lack of sleep.

"LOL! I meant pick and place babes! He's got a nice little rapid prototyping setup for low volume stuff. Open source is flipping brilliant. He made a machine based on Autodesk's Project Escher, it's a CNC machine to cut the tracks on PCB boards, 3D printer to make stuff like the mounting shells, all in one system. He got a lot of the software off the web."

"We wouldn't have Linux without it. Or Arduinos, or most of the cool software tools we use at uni."

"If someone did a Terminator and jumped back in time to kill Linus Torvalds.."

"We'd be fucked. Stuck with nothing but expensive commercial bloatware we can't fix."

Emily parked up. "This is the closest we can get. Defo should have worn better shoes."

Mattie got out and put her things out of sight in the boot. "If a girlfriend enlightened you as you put it, who got you into geek stuff? Most people don't even know who Linus is. Let alone how much we owe him and the likes of KnR."

"A random stranger at a home show."

Mattie got her mapping app running and got directions. "How?"

"I was looking for a hidden alarm and sensor for the house, the guy on the stand I was talking to was pushing a complex system despite me saying it was too much. As I walked away a guy the same age as me said build your own, use open source."

"And you started? Just like that?"

"I wish! I started finding people who could help first. School, Women Who Code on Twitter, then Headcrack. The lot on Headcrack were the best, they don't just hack synths, a lot of them do general stuff."

Mattie points, "I think that's her on a blanket."

Emily took her shoes off and went barefoot. "It looks like her." Tabitha moved. "And Fred."

"They're an item then. Good for him. So who gave you your first coding lessons?"

"I sent two hundred dollars to a lady in the states. She sent me a little credit card sized computer and book to follow, gave me a load of one to one time on Skype for when I got stuck. How did you start?"

"Computer club at school. A company upgraded all their PCs and donated the old ones. It was something to do while waiting for a lift home. Better than waiting in a cold playground."

"So you didn't join because you wanted to learn?"

"I wasn't interested at first, then I found I could spank the boys when it came to coding challenges."

"And you were hooked?"

"Sort of. I started seeing the world differently. Like this phone. It's just chips and code. And the code part I can own."

" _Got root_ sort of own?"

"Yeah."

Tabitha turns to see them. "Afternoon ladies."

"Tabs. You're looking very smart Fred, trying a new look?"

Fred looked at his smart grey suit, what he could see of his black roll-neck top. "Tabitha thought a world class surgeon to be should project a different image."

"Suits you sir, suits you."

Emily giggled.

"Why was that funny?"

Tabitha got onto her haunches, "It's from a comedy sketch show Fred. The men sells suits."

"I see. Something to watch with Max then."

Tabitha pats the mat. "Sit down, I've got Pimms if you'd like some?"

Emily crosses legs and quickly sits in one smooth motion. "I'm driving, better not."

"Lemonade?"

"Please."

"Mattie?"

"I'll have a little Pimms please."

"So what's this flaw you've found?"

"Trust."

Tabitha pours one for herself. "Go on?"

"Imagine your blind. Have been from birth. And you're a synth with empty fact store."

"Okay?"

"The grass is blue and sky green. Do you accept that as fact or question it?"

"Oh. My. God."

"You get it?"

"I'd accept it as fact unless I'd learnt a reason to distrust the source."

"That was almost too easy. So our worry is that young synths could be told outrageous lies, would accept them as the truth."

"A synth can detect when humans are lying."

"What if it was a post-human synth. Like Pete."

"Or David.. shit."

"Where are you holding David?"

Tabitha looks around. "We're not. Mizosuaniaka, Mia in a Atsuki Ai, is playing a role to take the heat off while we try and work out how the hell we catch him. We're pretending we caught him just as he was finishing a body jump from a Cindy."

"Frig. If he teamed up with Hobb again.."

Fred smiles, "They're here. Maybe seven heads are better than four?"

Mattie turns to see Pete, Karen and Sam approaching. "Bloody hell. Do you think it's wise letting Sam in on it? He's way too young."

"I was only expecting Karen."

Emily jumps up, "I'll keep him distracted with some games."

[Chapter-12](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-12-1)


	12. Chapter 12

Mattie stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.

Sam caught the tennis ball and returned it super fast. "I believe they want us to return Emily."

Emily ran towards him and did a no hands flip over, threw the ball back at him. "Sounds like it. Shall we?"

"I think it would be wise."

"Why's that?"

"Mattie is an adult. I am a child."

"And children should do as they're told."

"Yes Emily."

"Come on then." She holds out a hand.

Sam takes it and smiles, "You are warm."

"I've not even got a glow. You should see me after I've done my dance routine. That's warm."

"Can I?"

"See me dance?"

"Yes please."

Emily runs ahead, "Anyone fancy a little show? Sam would like to see me dance."

Karen smiles warmly at her little man, "He's so curious, a sponge for new experiences. Yes please."

"Who's got the loudest phone?"

Fred grins, "Let us play the track on all phones. We can start them all at the same time."

Mattie grins, "Haha. Nice. Bluetooth synth remotes Leo style."

Emily gets passed unlocked phones and installs Spotify or finds the track. "No music Pete? You must have liked some music before?"

"Sure I do. But I can play it in here." He taps his head.

"Isn't it more fun shared?"

Sam shakes his head, "Father likes old music like The Police."

"What?" She starts improvising a dance, " _Every little thing she does is magic, everything she does just turns me on. Even though my life before was tragic, now I know my love for her goes on_. What's not to love about that?"

"It is better with your dancing Emily. Maybe I will reconsider my opinion of it."

Karen ruffles his hair, "Glad to hear it."

Emily sets the phones out in a row after cranking the volume up on each. "Ready?"

Sam smiled, "Ready."

"You're going to bump Go! are you?"

Sam nods.

"Okay then.. three.. two.. one.. Go!"

Mattie got goosebumps as Emily started her routine on the grass. Just as she'd dreamt it, minus the deliberately flooded stage. Zedd's Epos had no lyrics, just music. If this was rusty what the hell was ready? Emily was fit, in an athletic sort of way, making it look easy. If she tried to dance like this she'd probably last thirty seconds tops before having a coronary and getting laughed at by Toby.

Mattie played with her gold bean without realising she was even doing so until Tabitha frowned at her.

The five and a half minutes of intense dancing was over in what felt like far less.

The adults give her some applause.

Emily rest hands on knees and grinned at Sam, got her breath back. "What did you think then?"

"The music had a very repetitive beet."

"Oh."

"I liked it. And your dancing. Can you teach me to dance?"

Pete frowned, "You want to be the next Billy Elliot do you son?"

"Who is he?"

"A character in a musical."

Karen grabs him and gives him a cuddle. "So you want to be a dancer?"

"I want to be _everything_."

"All at the same time?"

"Yes."

Emily drops to her knees and joins in the hug, "I like you Sam, you're funny. You can't be everything at once. You have to pick and choose what you want to be at any given moment."

Sam wriggles free and quickly works through a number of poses. "Fireman. Dancer. Tennis player. Runner. Poet. Actor. Comedian. Mechanic. Coder. Racing driver. Space man. Me."

Karen smiled at the last one. The last one wasn't doing anything special, other than looking happy. "Bravo Sam!"

Peter gave his son a round of applause, "Entertaining kid. Very good. You could add Chef to the list and rustle up some good chips."

"We do not require sustenance like humans father."

"Ah. See that's where I know something you don't."

"Have you been detecting again?"

"Listening. Fred here has a design that would let us get power from food."

"Why would we want to do that?"

"Do you see a charge socket anywhere?"

"No."

"Do you see some food in Tabitha's basket?"

"Yes. We could go for long walks and not worry about having to return to the car or house to charge?"

"Exactly! A good bag of chips and you'd be sorted."

Mattie remembers part of her long document. "A heavily sugar loaded coffee gives the best returns power wise." She notices questioning expressions growing. "In my dream that is. Chips should work too I guess."

[Chapter-13](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-13-1)


	13. Chapter 13

Mattie waves to Tabitha, Fred and the Drummonds as Emily pulls away. "That was fun. Shame we didn't come to any proper conclusions on the flaw."

"At least the STTF own the problem now."

"It won't stop me worrying. Pete and Karen have a reason to think about it a lot."

"Sam?"

"Yeah."

Emily gave the world a motherly smile, "I like him. Was he one of Milo Khoury's Qualia experiments?"

"Know anyone else making child synths?"

"Atsugi were rumoured to be making one."

"No way! Where'd you hear that?"

"Headcrack."

"You can't trust everything you read on that site Ems."

"True, that Hu-bot97, boy oh boy."

"She was the _worst_!"

"Hidden secondary user code in sixteen lines, that was inspired but so f'ing unreadable. At first."

"Terrible!" Mattie's expression changes from mischievous to puzzled. "You decoded it?"

"Eventually."

"On your own?"

Emily risks turning to see her, "Yes."

"Frigging awesome Ems! You're the only one that's been able to say that. Well done. That encoded code challenge the admin set was a real mind job."

"Why'd you stick with it? Everyone else gave up. Or wrote code that was easy to unpick."

"Because. Ego. I wanted to write something even he couldn't get his head around."

"Admin's a he? How'd you know that?"

"Just a gut feeling. Words use in posts."

Emily turned into a stretch of empty road and gunned it. "Fancy going out for dinner somewhere tonight? Owen and Veronica have the night off."

"Were? You could come to ours? Mia's been teaching Toby how to cook. He's not bad."

"Okay. Can you ring Dan and let him know I'll be at yours not mine?"

"Sure." Mattie gets her phone out and calls. "He's probably on the phone, it's gone to voicemail."

"What time is it?"

"Um.. almost four."

"Hopefully the boards for Odi are going well and the chips will arrive on time."

Mattie turns to see her, "Want to go to his first?"

"Shall we?"

"We've got time. I wouldn't mind seeing his 3D production thing."

"Okay babes."

Mattie's phone rings. "Hi Dan. We're on our way to you. How's.. oh. Sure. Yeah, see you in a bit."

"Don't go crazy but step on it."

"Why?"

"He says he's got a visitor you need to see. Someone's just turned up at the house."

"Who?"

"He didn't say."

Emily taps the dash, "Let's listen to some of your music. I forgot to put mine on charge last night."

"What sort?"

"Pick something."

Mattie frowns, such a wide range to choose from. "I know. Since you can both dance, sing, have ink. Pink."

"Lols babe. That's going to be the name for my car. Pinky. I'm Perky."

Mattie snorts and laughs, "You do know Pinky and Perky were two little pigs?"

"So was Babe babe."

They both get into fits of giggles and snorts as Mattie starts So What.

Emily's doing a little seated wriggle to the music as they get close to Dan's. "She's the one that did God is a DJ isn't she?"

"Yes!" Mattie swipes through a list to find the track.

"Just switch the comments about Mum and Dad around."

Emily does a happy sigh as they turn into his road. "Danny's my music." Her happy expression quickly fades. "She didn't! The BITCH!"

Three black Range Rover Sports were parked in front of his house.

"Ems?"

"My bitch of a sister."

"Here?"

"From those reg plates, yeah. Fuck knows why."

As the two get out a door of the front vehicle opens and a man gets out.

"Curtis? What the fuck are you doing here?"

"We need your help your highness."

"My help? Here? Explain yourself."

"I'll let your sister explain."

"She can go do one.."

"Your highness it's best you put your differences behind you for a moment and talk."

"Why? I want nothing to do with her. We have nothing in common."

"You do. You both love your father."

"True. But that's not enough to make me want to talk to her."

"Your highness, I wasn't to be the one to break the news.. if you don't talk that may become _loved_ not love." He steps to the second car and opens a door.

Mattie had been left standing by the road side.

"Mattie."

She turns to see Danny at the front door waving her over. "Do you know what's going on?" She walks to the house.

"I know they want Emily to go with them right now. And they want David Elster released to them under armed guard."

"Crap. That's a problem."

"Why?"

"I can't say, Tabs had me sign stuff at our picnic. Emily too. Why are they here, outside your house?"

"They said they searched for Elster, found Leo's profile on the HECLS website."

"How could they see anything the site's in.. oh fuck." She slaps her forehead repeatedly. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"What have you done?"

"I took it out of maintenance mode to show Mum, forgot to put it back. Shit. Now they've got totally the wrong impression."

"It lists the estate as our company address, still a ruin, so after a visit there they came to the only other address they could find. The link on my profile page takes people to DCL."

"Registered here."

"Yeah."

"I tried to phone Emily, her phone went straight to voicemail, yours did too."

"Because I was calling you I think. I need to phone Tabitha, got somewhere private I can make a call?"

"Downstairs loo, it's soundproofed."

"Eh?"

"Embarrassing trumpet noises."

"Gotcha."

[Chapter-14](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-14-1)


	14. Chapter 14

Carlie sat patiently and waited for the noise from her sister to stop. She hated that her sister had been allowed to escape, allowed to live a normal life. She'd gone along with her mothers demands only to keep the peace. With hindsight she wished she'd done the same. If she had she'd not witness their father's accident. If she had escaped the accident wouldn't have happened in the first place. She took a deep breath. "WILL ONE PLEASE SHUT UP!"

Emily was stunned. They'd had wars of words, but her sister had never screamed at her like that. "Drop the one if you want to be normal."

"Will _you_ please shut up and let me speak?"

"Go on then."

"Father is on a life support machine."

"What! Oh my God Car! What happened?"

Carlie hated being called Car but let it pass. "The brakes failed on the lorry delivering hay. It rolled down the slope into the stables. Dakota's dead, father's lost his legs."

Emily let the sluice gates open and tears flood out.

Carlie had never had any physical affection from her mother, didn't know what to do other than give her sister a hug like their father would.

Danny watched Mattie step out of the downstairs toilet. "You were in there long enough."

"Fancy a trip to Zurich?"

"Not really."

"Let me put that another way. Fancy saving me from a life time in prison?"

"That yes. What have you done?"

"I can't say. It's not public knowledge yet, Emily called mid call to Tabs, Prince Ferdinand has been crushed in an accident. They've already amputated his legs. They want David and Fred to give him artificial ones. From a synth."

"Fuck. Is that even possible?"

Mattie switches app, "Outside of a dream? No frigging idea. This is a document I typed up while in a trance or asleep." She scrolls. "Read this bit quick."

Danny does so and scrolls, speed reads more. "Bloody hell. It's like you're in a version of Looper. Only instead of older you being sent back to be shot you've just delivered a message." He scrolls and scrolls. "A bloody long one. Coincidence? The leg thing?"

"The name in my doc for that guy? Jimmy. And Emily's father? Prince James. Jimmy, James, same actors slightly different versions of the play? Only Jimmy in my dream was an army guy, got them blown off not crushed."

"You didn't dream anything nasty for me did you?"

"Um.."

"You did didn't you? What?"

"We come back like Pete."

"As synths?"

"Yeah."

"Who's we?"

"You, Emily, Leo and me."

"That's not so bad then."

Mattie gives him an _are you crazy_ face. "You'd be okay with it?"

"Sure. As long as my root code gets translated okay, Emily's too."

"You're mad."

"Join the club. We has donuts."

Mattie chuckles. "Sure, as if that's enough.."

"I'm serious. A few melt-in-your-mouth Krispy Kreme and a coffee and I reckon Mia could power herself quite nicely."

"Hmm."

"So what's the plan? How do I fit in?"

"I'd like you there to help with the electronics."

"Me? If they have David.."

"David will be having issues and acting as consultant only."

"Why?"

"I can't say. I could but if I did I could end up in prison."

"But Mattie I know nothing about interfacing electronics to a human nervous system. Which is what I assume I'd be needed for."

"Part that. Part maker skills, to assist Fred. If Fred's going to bolt legs onto something maybe that something will need reinforcement?"

"The second bit I can help with."

There's a bang on his front door.

"Get reading up on the first bit. Bring anything and everything you think we might need."

"Got a man-cave shrink ray? How the fuck do I know what I might need?"

"Assume you'll need to make circuit boards and metal parts."

"I can't 3D print in metal."

"You can mill according to Emily."

"Wood, foam, plastic, soft aluminium. Not medical grade titanium."

"So we get them to buy you some gear to upgrade it then. It may be Emily's Dad but I'm sure they're not going to expect this for free."

There's more banging on the door.

Danny turns to look in its direction. "You go talk to them, I'll start packing a box of bits."

"Enough to make two or three of whatever in case you balls one up."

Emily begrudgingly accepted the makeup wipes from her sister and looked towards the house. "How are we getting there?"

"The jet is waiting at London Biggin Hill Airport."

"The jet?"

"The royal jet."

Emily bit her tongue, now wasn't the time to resume a fight. "Sorry about Dakota."

"Twelve years I've had him. If Curtis had thought of the Elster family minutes before the vet might have let him live to be fixed."

"The vet was at the stables?"

"She was just getting into her car as the accident happened."

"Sorry Car."

"Please don't call me that."

"Yes Princes Caroline."

"Carlie will do."

"Okay. On dropped. Carlie."

Danny dropped a heavy metal case on the hall floor, looked at the over pumped security man. "If you can load that into a car?"

The man doesn't say a word, just picks it up as if it were nothing, turns and heads for the road.

Danny steps back into the living room. "I'd hate to see him when roid-rage kicks in. How's it going?"

Mattie had a hex key and was trying to dismantle the frame of the large 3D production system he'd dropped onto the coffee table. "Badly."

He points, "This one, this one, then that one."

"Okay."

"I've got my laptop shutting down, I think I've got everything I might need."

"Do a second pass, just in case." Her phone starts ringing. "There's no easy popping home from Zurich. Hi Tabs.. what? Oh _shit_."

Danny hooks his thumbs on his jeans pockets. "Now what?"

"The PM says David can't be released no matter what."

"Fuck!"

"We're screwed."

"If I walk away from this I lose Emily for sure. This is her Dad we're talking about. And our expert surgeon has fixed what to date? A single fox? Cluster fuck doesn't come close to describing the mess we're in."

Mattie smirks, "On that subject, how's your sex life?"

"She's a socket, I'm a plug, my cable's been kinked." He winks.

[Chapter-15](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-15-1)


	15. Chapter 15

Mattie typed fast to reply to Tabitha. She needed Fred to download all the packs he could and go from Zero to Hero ASAP. This was a make or break moment. They'd either soar high on the success of their first major medical procedure. Or be branded charlatans never to get anyone's trust again. Ever. No pressure then.

Princess Caroline was in the middle car, Emily, Danny and herself in the back of the one at the rear.

Mattie sucks air, "Um, driver, what sort of facility are we going to?"

"A hospital."

"Fully equipped?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if Fred Elster needs to bring anything."

"We are told the hospital has all the standard instruments."

"That's the point, the operation will be far from standard." She taps out another message. This time to Fred. "Ems, how're you holding up?"

A very red eyed Emily showed a slight hint of a smile and kept looking into the distance. She knew the deal with David. The PM would have been advised very strongly by Tabitha not to release him. If the truth was revealed they were all for it. Fred was their only hope. With some assistance from her prince. "So so."

Fred looked at the images he'd just been sent by a surgeon in Zurich. "Tabitha."

"Yes Fred?"

"How fast could I get to Eashing with your assistance?"

"Why Eashing?"

"The prince's pelvis is broken into many fragments. If the blood loss can be slowed and the need to transfuse removed we might be able to use a technique I'd like to discuss with Professor Noel Fitzpatrick."

Tabitha looked at her spaniel. "He's a vet Fred."

"And the prince is an organic life form like a dog or fox. Flesh, blood and bone. The only difference is configuration."

"You don't have time for a visit. Have a conference call. The car will be here any moment. How much blood is he losing?"

"Lots."

The cars were with them within minutes. Fred was introduced to Princess Caroline and shown to the rear car with his colleagues.

"Hello Emily. I'm sorry about your father's accident."

"Hi Fred, thanks for joining us."

They sat in silence for ages, not knowing what to say to each other. It was an uncomfortable silence in the black cars, like they were traveling to a funeral not surgery.

Emily shifted to get more comfortable. "Driver can we have some music please?"

"Certainly your highness." He turns on the radio, a heavy somewhat aggressive sounding beat plays.

"Something lighter?"

He taps a button, hears the same track. He hits a third and gets the same yet again. "Sorry your highness the station memory's gone again. One moment." He lowers the volume, risks reaching over and grabs a CD pack from the passenger side. "If you could pick something."

Emily looks through the selection, "Who picked these?"

"Your family."

"Which would father pick?"

Tabitha looked out at the busy London view, listened to what was being said on the phone. "It's working? You're sure? Thanks. If it fails.. yes. Orange is not my colour either. Thank you."

The four strong HECLS team listened to the calming classical music, Emily still snuggled into Danny's side, a hand on his leg, one of his on hers.

Mattie had a fight on her hands. As CEO of HECLS she'd been sent the digital information pack Fred had. Her head said keep calm. Her stomach wanted to disagree in the most violent of ways. Insects growing in knees was nothing compared to this. She was conflicted in a second way too. Leo could be a great help, for his agile mind, but having him there with his legs still in a frame might be too insensitive and upset the family.

Fred looked at the phone Tabitha had given him. He desperately wanted to make the call, but not openly with the others about. It was rude but he had no option. He paired and did it via Bluetooth as Leo had shown.

Fourteen minutes later he started Google maps and searched. "We need to make a slight detour."

Mattie frowned, "For?"

"Veterinary bone cement."

Emily looked stunned, "You want to use.."

"On your father? Yes. We have a plan."

"We?"

"We."

[Chapter-16](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-16-1)


	16. Chapter 16

Curtis looked at Caroline. "You can't change the past, don't let it consume you. Talk to Emily."

"Why would I want to do that? She's here for father, not me."

"Because she's family."

"Was. She walked out years ago."

Emily watched her sister and Curtis sat at the other end of the cabin. She couldn't hear what was being said over the racket of the jets but from the glances from Curtis she guessed she was the subject.

Danny watched her watching, turns Fred's sketch around and nods. "Sounds like a plan. I still don't understand the bit that sits between the end of his spinal cord and the electronics."

Fred picked up his phone and loads a page. "Have a read."

"Huh? The URL's HECLS?"

"A hidden page, not linked from anywhere."

"When was this created?"

"Just before we left the airport."

Danny got reading. Slowly.

Mattie exchanged another email with the team in Zurich. The jet's in flight mobile cell was keeping them all online. Frigging thing. She could do with a break. The stress was like nothing she'd experienced before. Her phone chimes again. What now.. "Bollocks do you!"

"Mattie!"

"Fred, Danny, emergency meeting. Sorry Ems, can you go to the middle of the cabin?"

"If this is about Dad I want to know."

"You might find it upsetting."

"He's _my father_."

"They want to amputate again. Higher up."

Fred frowns, "How high?"

"Remove the pelvis. I wasn't great at biology but I understand what connects to it. He'd be like a dog that's been neutered."

Emily looks horrified, "No, no way, you've got to stop them! Mattie do something. Anything!"

"From up here? How!"

Fred sends a message, photographs the sketch and emails it to the team with a note. "We need to get there even faster. Anyone got a time machine?"

Emily gets up, "Yeah, I'll be right back."

They all watch her strut with determination to the front of the aircraft and bang on the cockpit door. It opens. They watch her talk, turn and return, pausing momentarily to say something to her sister.

She sits down and looks at Fred's sketch. "It might get a bit noisy and bumpy in a moment. Sorry."

They hear the pitch of the engines rise as they're slowly being pushed to their limits.

Danny hands Fred back the phone. "Are you a chemist too?"

"Not yet."

"But you can be, right?"

"Yes."

"I've got an idea. It's a dirty hack, but it might just work for a first go. We can improve it over time." He looks at Mattie, "Do you know how far it is from the airport to the hospital and how we'll get there?"

"I do."

"And?"

"The prince used to fly for the army years ago, they're laying on transport. A Super Puma TH06 whatever that is."

Fred smiles. "Helicopter."

"How'd you know that?"

"We had many aircraft fly over the estate. I started building a database."

Mattie grinned, "So you're a plane spotter?"

"I don't spend time collecting registration markings."

"So no then. Why bother?"

"So I can know how to fly or drive anything I might get given the chance to operate."

"Are you saying you can fly a helicopter?"

"In theory, yes."

"Good to know. I think I'd rather let a pilot who knows for sure do it. No offence."

"None taken. I'd only want to do it in emergencies."

The helicopter trip was short and noisy so they didn't bother trying to talk. Emily deliberately sat as far away as she could from her sister. One hug didn't heal years of anger.

On the hospital roof they're met by a synth. She steps forwards and hugs Fred. "It's good to see you again Fred."

Mattie joins them. "Mia?"

"Hello Mattie. There are more of me coming. There's a group of me downstairs that convinced the surgeons to stop and wait. We need to go downstairs quickly and prepare."

Fred nods, "Did you get all the things I asked for Mia?"

"I did. They don't know I'm Mia. Please call me by my model name, Sandra."

Mattie goes a little dizzy. "Whoa. Sandra? When you took over her body was she wearing a low cut one piece fitted orange jump suit?"

"She was. I didn't like the colour given the situation. How did you know?"

"My weird dream."

Sandra turns away from them. "If you complain once more!" She turns back. "Sorry, co hosting has it's issues. Let's go."

[Chapter-17](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-17-1)


	17. Chapter 17

Mattie watches from the gallery, the team had been left up their alone. "They're a teaching hospital then. Nice. We should borrow that idea for ours. What the fuck?"

A synth had just entered the theatre below with a trolley of weird things. A pair of socks, a car seat that had the back in full and half of the seat cut off, lots of straps and pack upon pack of syringes.

The Sally sat with them turned to the small audience. "Are you familiar with the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Their 1983 tour was performed wearing only socks."

Mattie pulls a disgusted face, "Just socks?"

"On their genitals."

"Oh." A surgeon walks in with what looked like a modified medical device. "What the hell's that?"

"A low power x-ray machine. Fred thought about the food processor surgery he'll be performing on one of me. He'll be inserting that into the prince and projecting pulsed bursts of x-ray from the inside so they can see the bone locations as they work."

Emily got a grin from Danny and gave him eyes to stop. "If that helps fix him I don't care. He'll never know. Right? Right!"

"Mum's the word."

Mattie gets partially out of her seat to look down as more medical staff walk in, "They?"

"My brothers and sisters are assisting."

"Surgeon in seven seconds."

"It's closer to five if head bumped direct, but yes." They watch the chair being wrapped in medical sheets, the prince being moved onto it. "Fred's idea is to invert the patient, thereby reducing pressure at the injury sight and slowing blood loss. The syringe tips have been treated with a powder that will let the cement bond to them. They will be used to inject small amounts of cement onto a fragment of bone, given a while to set. When all bone fragments are attached to a syringe we plan to slowly pull them into position, inject more of the cement to bond the lot together. My brothers and sisters will hold everything in place while it sets."

Danny watches Fred carefully insert the x-ray device. "Ouch. That would make your eyes water if you were awake. When will I be needed?"

"Once the bone is set and Fred has fixed any internal bleeding issues the prince will be taken for an MRI scan. From which you can make custom brackets to take the synthetic leg joint mounts."

"And when do we do the interface?"

"We'll have some assistance with that." The synth smiles and starts singing. " _Stand up. You've got to manage. I won't sympathise. Anymore. And if you complain once more. You'll meet an army of me. And if you complain once more. You'll meet an army of me. You're alright. There's nothing wrong. Self sufficiency please. And get to work. And if you complain once more. You'll meet an army of me. And if you complain once more. You'll meet an army of me. You're on your own now. We won't save you. Your rescue squad. Is too exhausted_." She grins. "The track in the car on the drive to the airport?"

Mattie shakes her head, "No idea."

"Fred recognised it, took inspiration from it. An Army of Me. Bjork."

"Ah! She's awesome! An army of Me-ah."

"With an army mobilised with one goal in mind we were successful."

"What goal?"

"Finding David."

"Shit! Really? Where is he?"

"You've already met him. He's having to put up with sharing a body with Mia."

"I have?"

"Sandra."

Mattie laughed hard. "The _If you complain once more_ comment by the helicopter. Frigging hell! That's the nuts! He's not enjoying it then?"

"He was given two final choices. Be deleted or help."

"Deleted? Frigging hell Mia."

"Sandra was a very bad girl. He was given a third option rather than deletion, chose not to accept it."

"Which was?"

"Being left in the body and being fucked like Niska by thousands of men."

Mattie does a one hand flick clap. "Ouch! Now that _would_ bring tears to his eyes. Mia Elster, good girl gone bad!"

"It's impossible to know when a synth is bluffing."

"Were you?"

"You'll never know."

"How'd he get here so fast?"

"The Internet."

[Chapter-18](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-18-1)


	18. Chapter 18

Danny loads the MRI data into an app he'd been given by Noel's fabrication team. "Hopefully the diamond bits and improvised water cooling will do the job. One question Fred, how will the synth leg to human flesh interface work? Won't synth fluid get into his blood stream?"

"No. The legs are being fitted with an array of power cells. They won't have any synth fluid, only his blood."

"So he'll have to dissipate all the heat generated?"

"Just as you do when you go running."

"Bags of blood.."

"It won't be bags. We have another scan for you to print. An artificial set of veins. In a flexible medical filament."

"I don't have any."

"It's being shipped."

"Oh. Okay. Will the print fit?"

"We also have longer extrusions being flown over from the UK so you can double the length of your machine."

"Sweet. It needs a recalibration anyway."

Fred looks away, looks distant. "Are you able to leave what you're doing and return to it?"

"Sure."

"The prince is awake and wants to talk to us."

"What! Why on earth would you wake him up before we've finished?"

"It wasn't my choice. His wife's insistence. She wants him to approve what happens next."

"Bloody hell." Danny wheels the chair back. "He must be on some amazing pain killers."

"He can't feel a thing."

"Good. Does he know what happened?"

"Sandra says Caroline reports he's not suffering any amnesia."

Danny glanced at Emily and Carlie. For identical twins they looked and sounded so different. They looked nothing like their mother. Thank God. He hoped that Emily never would. What a frightening woman.

A mass of short tubes ran out of the prince's leg stumps and looped back in. Fred had explained on their short walk over that the tubes would be there, completing the circuit so his heart could pump as normal, blood loss minimised. They'd not close the wounds until all the mechanical work was done. One of the Mia synths had found a suitable dead synth to take legs from, it was being dismantled in another theatre.

Emily motioned to the three stood in front of him. "Father, this is my boyfriend Daniel Candlin, our lead surgeon Fred Elster, and surgeon Sandra."

"Prince Candlin of where?"

"My heart."

"He's not royalty?"

"No father."

"And what role does Mr Candlin play in this?"

"I'm a hardware designer your highness. I'll be making that parts that interface the new legs to your pelvis."

"So I'll be the Borg Queen, male version?"

Danny could feel his face move despite his determined thoughts to look serious. The man had just said Borg Queen. He knew at least some science fiction. His potential father in law had just jumped a few levels in the coolness ratings. "Yes your highness. Only we don't intend for you ever to come apart like she did."

"Good, good. That would be rather embarrassing. Although I'd make a good magician's assistant don't you think?"

"Yes your highness."

"Call me James, please. How will I control these legs?"

Sandra turns to see Fred, looks back at the prince, "We've installed a chip in your pelvis that will interface with your spinal cord. It will take a few days for the stem cells to make the connections. Then we'll train the systems in your legs to respond to your commands to move."

"Commands? Voice commands?"

Danny shakes his head fast, "No sir, you'll picture yourself doing something, our software will be in learn mode, not actually respond physically, just build up knowledge of what your nerves do to try and trigger that movement. Only when you feel we've done enough training will we allow it to move."

Fred nods, "And that will be while you're suspended in a swimming pool to ensure you do yourself no harm."

"Will I feel?"

Sandra nods. "Yes. With your eyes closed your wife will touch you. You'll tell us where you feel it in as much detail as possible. We'll build up a translation table so you eventually feel the sensations in the right places."

"It sounds like you've covered everything."

"Not quite. Where would you like your charge socket?"

"I have no idea. Where would you recommend?"

"On a hip."

"The left one then please, being left handed. How much is all this costing?"

Mattie bangs on the glass and they all look up. She does a zero sign.

Emily smiles. "I think Mattie is trying to say that you've already donated enough funds to the hospital about to be built on the estate."

"I have?"

"The Mia army?"

"Ah! My loyal friends. Are any of them here?"

Sally upstairs waves.

"Good to see you dear. Curtis briefed me. I'll make sure you're all sufficiently rewarded. Miss Hawkins, would _By appointment to his highness Prince James Ferdinand_ help at all?"

There's another bang on the glass and they look again to see two thumbs up.

Mattie grinned. "Frigging A. A royal crest on the site will look awesome. We're not out of the woods yet though, there's still plenty that could go wrong."

Sally keeps looking forwards. "Plenty. If Fred's powder treatment of the plastic parts doesn't prevent rejection.."

"Things will get messy fast."

"Very."

"Has anyone told him he'll need to cary skin packs?"

"Not yet. Message passed to Fred."

The prince looked down. "At least the crown jewels were saved. I hear that was a close call?"

Fred nods, "That would have done irreversible damage to your personality your highness. Unless you underwent regular testosterone treatment."

"Sod the treatment man, not having the parts would be bad enough!"

Emily held back a laugh. She definitely inherited something from her father. Not the ice princess her mother. He's spent so much time around English people he'd totally lost his accent, sounded just like them. As she had.

Fred did a shallow bow, "We need to get your MRI scan converted into 3D data for Daniel's machine to start milling parts. If we could allow him and Emily to leave sir?"

"Of course. Thank you for all you've done."

"Thank us when you're walking out of here."

"How long might that take? What's the typical patient recovery time?"

Danny turned to leave, "Every case is different. There is no typical. How long did Mr Fox take Fred?"

The colour drained from Mattie's face. "Fuck." Good job the speaker was one way. She crossed her fingers. "Play it cool Fred."

Fred smiled, "Within weeks he was walking away, a happy patient."

"Good, good. Mind if I have a bit more of that cocktail? I'm starting to feel pins and needles in feet I no longer have."

[Chapter-19](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-19-1)


	19. Chapter 19

Emily sat next to Danny and watched as the software used contrast edge detection to work out one profile of parts to be made. "He's been through a lot. Before the accident. I didn't expect him to be anywhere near as okay with it as he is. I wouldn't be that calm. I'd be freaking out."

"How were his legs before the accident?"

"Good I guess, considering. He used to dance a lot."

"Dance? Shit. I think it'll be a long time before he can do that again."

"He's got his sight, hearing, hands, bits. He'll be okay. My father didn't build a business employing thousands without a bit of determination and persistence."

Danny looked at his girlfriend and wondered. She'd not sounded so.. so.. smart wasn't the right word. She was smart. Very smart. Prone to the odd blonde moment but then so was he. Posh wasn't the word either. Her tone was different. More like her sister's. Was her bubbly personality just an act? If so would she outgrow him? He pushed the thought from his mind. "I guess.. Did Mattie tell you about her dream?"

"The weird long one she wrote up?"

"She did then. Has your father ever been called Jimmy?"

"Only by others of the same rank years ago. Before he was forced to retire. Why?"

"Just wondered. You like Ems. Caroline likes Carlie. I like Danny. He doesn't sound like a nickname sort of guy."

Emily chuckles, "Don't you believe it! I got one of his old buddies talking at the bar one party night, me being a naughty young flirt extracting secrets from a drunk lecherous older man. The sock Fred got for Big Jim wasn't just for the hell of it. He probably thought it best not to have it hanging there putting everyone off the operation. One nickname I'd rather not have learnt the story behind but it served me right."

Danny smiled. The _naughty young flirt_ had been said with a wicked glint in her eye and in the way he'd come to expect. Maybe the earlier _determination and persistence_ comment had been her trying to impersonate her sister? Yeah. That was the more likely. "You should have been a spy in the war. They wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Awww, thanks babes! Wanting me in blouses, skirts and stockings are you?"

"Um.. that's not what I had in mind but if you want to play dress up."

"It's more the undressing.."

There's a knock on the wall. "Sorry to disturb your fantasy, can we talk?"

"Sure babes, come in."

"Fred is after an ETA for the parts."

"Already?" Danny looks at the screen. "Hmm. I wonder. Give me a sec." He opens up a cardboard box that had been left for him earlier, takes out the many milling bits. "I've got one milling motor set up, two spares. If I swapped print heads for milling heads, put different size bits in each I could get the conductor running all three at once. One doing the course cut, one medium, one fine detail."

"All at once?"

"Course starts and gets moving down the line fast, medium behind it, then fine."

"So how long?"

"Give me a sec to configure it." He clicks on a menu and it opens up a text file. "Heads.. heads.. where are the heads. Right." He picks up packets and looks at labels. "Head one 10mm, two 3mm and three 1mm gives us." He does a drumroll with two fingers as the software calculates a run time. "Thirty two minutes."

"So he'll have them in forty?"

"I need longer than that, I've got to set the heads up and calibrate."

"An hour then?"

"Hour and a half? And that's not taking into account water cooling mods for three heads."

"Can Fred help with that?"

"If I print up some more Y tube adapters. Make it two hours."

"Total?"

"Yeah. Assuming no glitches."

Emily looks down at her shoes. "Glitches.. Glitches, glitches, scatty bitches."

"You okay Ems?"

"Did anyone get a chance to pack a bag? Neither of us did. How long are we going to be here?"

Mattie does an embarrassed little shrug. "Good question. What's the opposite of proper planning prevents piss pour performance?"

"No idea."

Danny gets a milling motor out. "Us? Seriously, you didn't have a chance with them catching you at mine. Maybe if I'd got through on the phone after they said they needed you to travel. Where are we staying?"

"Tonight? On the sofas here. In the morning we'll send someone out to find a shop to get a change of clothes. Anything I can help with now?"

"Some food wouldn't hurt I'm starving, it's way past dinner time."

"What do you fancy?"

[Chapter-20](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-20-1)


	20. Chapter 20

Mia put her arms over Toby's shoulders and gave him a kiss, turned to look at the sun. They were at the estate very early morning and had done an inventory of all the materials for the build.

Flash approached with Max and Leo trailing behind. "It's a lovely location. You must have enjoyed having a big lake to swim in."

"I did. I'm a little worried about Leo."

Leo scratched his leg, the site where a rod had been was itching. Mia had removed them as instructed by Fred. "I'm good. I know what happened, don't remember any of the details this time around. I've tried hard to remember anything, it's not there."

"Don't scratch them Leo. You'll make the scars worse. Were are Laura and Sophie?"

"Checking out the ruin."

"Alone?"

"They'll be fine, they're only going around the perimeter."

Toby yawns, "It was a beautiful sunrise, thanks for sharing it with me. Shame it's a school day, sure you can't put Frank off a day so Soph and I can watch?"

"Franks team are fully booked. It's today or wait months."

"Mattie will miss it too, she'll be annoyed."

"She said to go ahead."

"She'll still be annoyed. Shame she can't be in two places at once."

Mia grabs his face and plants a good one on his lips. "You clever boy! Of course she can!"

"How?"

Mia pulls her phone out of her back pocket, calls Laura. "Laura, how would you feel about Sophie and Toby having a day off? Witnessing the build first hand could be a good life experience. You're sure? Thank you, see you in a moment." She hangs up and calls Fred. "Fred, can you do me a favour? I need you to get one of those inexpensive VR headsets and a large phone to go in it. Yes, I'll pay for them from the donations fund."

Toby watches her slide the phone back into her pocket. It fit nicely. Nice fit. Fit partner. Poem material maybe? "Mum said yes?"

Mia watches him watching her bottom. "Yes."

"Wicked! You want Matts to wear a VR headset in Zurich? What's the source going to be?"

She smiles as he finally makes eye contact again. "One of me. Do you like what you see?"

"You're a poet. And you know it."

"How is the poem coming along?"

"It's getting there, slowly."

Fred looked at his sleeping patient, Sandra and the hospital's own nurse. "Is there anywhere I can buy a VR headset locally?"

Mattie rolled, the sofas in the hospital's family room were a little too hard for her liking. She opened her eyes and looked at Danny, legs entwined with Emily. The'd been whispering sweet nothings until they'd fallen asleep. The milling process had gone okay the second time. The first run had to be aborted, the brackets holding the block to the base had worked themselves loose with all the vibration. It was a good job they'd sat there watching eating their very late night pizza.

Mattie's phone chimes. "Here we go again.." She picks it off the floor expecting to see yet another notification from the prince's staff asking for updates. It was Sophie sending a selfie from the estate with a message. "What the? Baby oil, rope and a mat like Twister?" She calls as the message asked. "Hi Teeny. Why would I want that lot? Astrid's not filling your head with kinky stuff is she? You what? How?" She listens and laughs. "Thanks. It's very inventive, if a phone's going to send Mia data it might as well be in my hand not someone else's videoing me. A nice idea but I'd rather send Mia gyro and compass data from my phone than pretend walk. I know. Cool idea though Soph. I wish I was too. I'm stuck here for a while yet. No idea. They flew us over on a private jet, I doubt we'll get the same treatment on the way back. Yeah, I'll get coding, there's an app I've seen that does something similar. Sure. Love you too."

Phone dropped back onto the floor she yawned and stretched, arched her back and felt her pendant slide. Coffee. Where could she get a decent coffee?

She sits up and slips her shoes on, tiptoes out to find a coffee machine.

Danny holds his breath a while longer then sniggers. "Baby oil and rope."

Emily thumps him. "I'll do anything for love, but I won't do that!"

"Not into bondage? Good. That's a step to far for me."

"But playing hide the ornament was okay? You're a strange one Danny Candlin."

"I was a sweet innocent boy before I met you." He tries to keep a straight face. "You kinked me."

"Yeah, right. I'm going to see how Dad is, coming?"

"Sure. Then breakfast."

Just as he's slipping his trainers on Fred enters the room. "Morning Daniel, Emily. How is the artificial vein print?"

"Not a clue mate. I left it running, couldn't keep my eyes open any more. Let's go see. When will you need it?"

"Unlike you I don't need sleep. We're ready for it."

Danny does a massive yawn. "It'll take a while to wash it."

Emily grabs her 3DBenchy tug boat calibration test print done in the same materials. "Shame little Benchy will come apart if it gets wet."

"We could carefully seal it with a thin layer of clear silicon?"

"Please! I want to give it to Dad."

"Keep it safe and dry, I'll have to do it at home. Let's go see."

Emily frowned at the big mess on the print bed. "Did it go wrong?"

"I hope not. It's used almost a whole spool of medical filament."

"The big white one?"

"Yeah. The smaller white one's water soluble, the red one is standard ABS."

"Why three?"

"ABS is cheap as chips, easy to come by. Water soluble not so easy. So I had it print ABS support, a layer of soluble then medical. In theory we wash it in warm water and the whole medical print should just slide out."

"You are clever."

"I can't take the credit for it, Think3DPrint3D came up with that one. I just wrote some slicer code to do it."

Fred picks up the print. "Bath time. Then we can show it to his highness."

[Chapter-21](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-21-1)


	21. Chapter 21

Emily looks from the bath of warm water to Danny. "You're serious? You want me to get in with it?"

"And massage it along its length until the soluble material is out."

Emily shakes her head, takes off a shoe, "You're not pulling my leg?"

"No, no, you'll be pulling his."

"What! That's nasty."

She takes off the second and is stopped by Fred. "We do need assistance getting the veins out but we could all lean over the edge of the bath and work on a section each."

"It'll need sterilising after right?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll do it. Danny can take a photo of me to share with Dad. He'll get the joke. Mum won't but he defo will." She wriggles out of her clothes and climbs in slowly in just underwear. "Let a little water out, we don't want to flood the place."

"There you are. What on earth are you doing?"

Emily looks up to see Mattie. "Washing the print so the soluble filament dissolves letting the veins come out."

"Oh. I found a nurse with a kettle and decent coffee. Want a cup?"

"Like I need air."

"Dan?"

"Yes please."

"Okay, three coffees coming up."

Emily grinned at Danny and got to work. "Are you going to take a photo or not?"

"4K video, I'll let you pull a still."

"That's not all you'll pull. That's going into your video safe isn't it?"

"Definitely."

"Dirty boy."

Fred shook his head. "I've turned audio input off, please wave when you are done."

"What? You go with Tabitha yet can't listen to me? What's wrong with you Fred?"

"He can't hear you Ems."

"No Danny, he can't. But from that grin I think he _can_ lip read. Can't you Fred."

Fred's grin morphs into a smile. "Nothing gets past you does it Emily?"

"Not if I can help it. Why fake embarrassment?"

"I'm not comfortable with such matters when not private."

"Fair enough. Danny, is this stuff supposed to go like wall paper paste?"

"I've not printed something so large with it before. I usually clean small prints under a running tap at the kitchen sink. Pull the plug slightly, I'll shower you down."

Fred waves hands, "I'll be outside when your ready."

Danny blocks his escape. "Shower arms and legs Fred, we're not having a single entry wet vest top competition."

Fred turns to see Emily now kneeling in the bath, wiping gloop off her hands. "Okay."

Mattie accepts the milk from the nurse. "What's it like here normally?"

"Very busy. Prince James being on this part of the floor has meant other patients have been moved elsewhere."

"Really? He's not a king or president, why such high security?"

"His people's insistence. I doubt he even realises how they are treating him."

Mattie shrugs. "Nice for us all I guess. Thanks for the coffee."

"Welcome."

Mattie returns to the room to find Fred waiting outside. "Everything okay?"

"Emily will need some dry clothes. She slipped and fell in."

"I'M NOT WEARING ANYTHING OF MY SISTERS! AND I NEED SOMETHING WITH LONG SLEEVES!"

"WHY?"

"COME IN AND SEE!"

Mattie gives Fred a worried look. "Is she decent?"

"Wrapped in a towel."

Mattie opens the door and steps in to see a very distraught looking Emily. "Oops!"

"I can't go out looking anything like my sister!"

Danny was using the shower head under the water to keep the level right so the gloop and ink mix would run down the overflow. "If Emily's secret gets out.."

"My Mum will go nuts!"

"Shit."

Danny ran an arm along the water surface to try and encourage it to drain away. "I had no idea it would react with Ems ink."

"Okay. I'll go shopping. I need something else to wear, I'm not going commando that's for sure."

"Sorry Babes."

"Not your fault. What sort of look are you after?"

"Anything a bit wild that will cover my arms down to the wrists, just nothing remotely like Car."

"Okay. Back in a bit. Is the print ruined?"

"Fred thinks not. We've not pulled it from the solid support material yet."

"Good."

Mattie closes the door and whispers to Fred. "You really think the print will be okay? We don't need to start again?"

"From the exposed end of the print there doesn't appear to be any discolouration, the ink and support material reacted to form something lighter than water and floated upwards."

"If there's even the slightest risk I want Danny to start again, we can't risk giving him blood poisoning."

"Understood. I'll get a sample and get the lab to run an analysis, when we've sterilised the print I'll run water through it and have the output checked for trace elements."

"If it's at all contaminated we start again."

"As I said, understood."

Fred watched Mattie go. "Danny?"

"Yes Fred."

"Lock the door, I'm going to check on the prince."

"Okay."

Mattie took the lift to the ground floor. Was it annoying that the Germans spoke better English than most Brits? Maybe not so much with a world full of synths. You didn't get a synth saying cor blimey governor take the apples and pairs. Plan A, find a coffee shop. Ask the cool kids to recommend a place. Plan B go hunting on her own. She turned the corner and spotted a Coffee Nero. That would do.

Inside she orders a latte and sits to the side to watch people entering the branch.

A lot of middle aged customers come and go. If the cool kids hung out somewhere this wasn't the place.

Her phone rings. "Hi Soph. Not yet. No, we've been given a bit of a curve ball to deal with. He's alright, it's Emily. No! She's okay. I'll let her explain when we're back. If everyone's there tell Mia to go ahead, don't wait on us. Positive. Ask her to ask all other hers that aren't actively doing something to act as video recorders, we'll edit the lot together later. Yes. For the web site. Thanks. You too."

She hears the call clear and keeps the phone to her ear, watches a synth cleaning tables. It kept glancing up at her. Phone lowered she taps out a message to Leo. If they weren't here in Zurich maybe Danny would be finishing off the drives for Odi. She sighs and puts the phone down, grabs the coffee.

The synth rushes over and sits down on the other side of the table, looks excited, "Mattie! How's Toby and Little Mouse?"

"Haha frigging hell Mia! Is there a Mia in every place I'll visit now?"

"Not yet. The state has been slow to hand over the power corrupted bodies, maybe by the time the year is out. You were watching everyone, why?"

"I need a clothes shop for Emily."

"What type?"

"Alternative. Something to totally cover her arms. All the way down to her wrists."

"One moment." The Cindy synth closes her eyes.

Mattie takes another sip of her coffee.

Cindy opens her eyes and smiles. "We've found the ideal place. Would you like me to take you? It's about a fifteen minute walk."

"Sure."

"I'll just check with my manager."

[Chapter-22](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-22-1)


	22. Chapter 22

The prince woke to see Fred inspecting his legs. "Good morning Mr Elster. Are you a film fan?"

"I have seen a few with Leo in the past. Did you have one in mind?"

"Terminator 2. The arm cutting scene."

"You're thinking about how we're doing this in reverse?"

"Precisely. How is the next stage coming along?"

"It will be a few hours until we can pressure test it for leaks and get it ready for your next operation."

"Things are progressing, good."

"You're not phased by this at all are you?"

"You didn't see my previous legs did you?"

"They'd already been amputated."

"Would you like to see a photograph of them?"

"I would."

"If you look in the leather bag to my left you'll find my phone."

Fred finds it and passes it to the prince.

"Thank you. I used to dance with my wife. Then I was injured. My family will tell you I still dance, trying to keep my spirits up. Doing a slow shuffle is not dancing." An album is selected. "This is what the surgeon called legs."

Fred looked at the image with disbelief. From his experience with the Hawkins children he knew that they would have gasped in shock. "Who did this to you?"

"Not who, what."

"The what is irrelevant. I'm concerned about the person that operated on you afterwards. Is this exposed bone I see?"

"It is. I lost a lot of skin and muscle."

"Then it should have been reconstructed properly."

"Which is dIfficult when you're in the middle of a war zone with limited supplies and no surgeons like yourself."

"Then I need to swap places with some of my brothers and sisters to help make sure this never happens again."

"Glad to hear it. If I can help fund you in any way?"

"If you could get Persona to make me new duplicate bodies that would be ideal. I'd not be as comfortable taking over others."

"Not a problem."

"May I ask, what do you do?"

"For a job these days?"

"Yes."

"I buy and sell companies."

Fred frowns. "Is there much profit to be made?"

"When done my way. I buy a failing company from its shareholders. I put in an ex-army management team, get it back into profit then sell it. Often to the staff within, like a co-operative. With the proviso that the management team stays in control for a minimum of five years."

Fred checks the bone to mounting plate join. It was perfect. No gaps at all. He'd need to ask Danny to make him one of the machines for each new Fred, get himself deployed somewhere useful. "The mounts have taken very well, I'm very happy with Daniel's work."

Mattie grinned like a Cheshire cat. The selection was unbelievable. "We should have a shop like this in London. I've never seen anything like it. Not on this scale."

"Then I will talk to the owner and see if they'd like me to help set one up. It would be more fun than wiping down tables."

"Emily would love you for that. This one! What do you think?"

"The material looks thick enough to hide what's below. The print is nice."

"Nice? It's perfect! A few pairs of leggings, a few of these and some underwear and we're good."

"I'll have a taxi at the front in five minutes then."

"Another you?"

"Yes Mattie."

"Nice. Lets see your manager on the way, see they're happy for you to leave."

Fred checks his patient's blood pressure. It was high. With blood flowing into the print soon it would drop. Quite possibly to the other extreme. "Have you or your family had a history of heart problems?"

"None."

"Good. I need to go check on the print if I may?"

"Of course. Sandra will keep me company."

Sandra bumps to Fred.

Fred smiles, "Your blood pressure is quite high enough your highness. No thoughts or actions to spike it please."

"You surgeons are all the same, no fun."

"Would you rather flirt with Sandra and suffer a stroke, die in this hospital, or walk out of here and then flirt?"

"The latter."

"Sandra, any Vera that could take over?"

The prince coughs and laughs, "No thanks! I'd rather not die of depression! It would be like having a second wife."

"You don't love her?"

"I do, but one's quite enough."

The man from Guinness gets his stopwatch ready. "Your team stands ready until the young gentleman fires the gun understood? It fires blanks but still point it upwards please."

Toby nodded, "Sure, sure." He smiles at Mia, "Is everyone in position?"

"Yes Toby, we're ready."

"Cool.. three.. two.. one.. " the gun is fired.

Mia's eyes had already faded from green to ghostly white. The synth army gets to work like a swarm of insects.

Mr Wilmonson gives Mia a concerned look, "Is she alright?"

Toby nods, "Yeah, yeah, she spoke with her brother Fred last night, he told her about a friend Danny's 3D printer, it has software called a Conductor, it gave her an idea."

"Which was?"

"To conduct her army of drones. She's the Queen Bee."

"Can she see us?"

"Through the eyes of everyone else."

Sophie rest her elbows on Dozer's head and turned the tablet slowly to record all the different activities. She was sat on his shoulders to get a better view.

Frank looks at his second in command, his Miley driver. He looked to be enjoying himself immensely. The wrecking ball had done a quick job of smashing up the rest of the ruins. A fleet of lorries were on their way to the nearest landfill site with all the rubble. He'd be paying a fair price for the tonnage but being part of this would hopefully pay dividends. Miley was parked in the background, the F Candlin Demolition signage very visible. "Candlin knock'em down, Heckles builds'em up. Fast! Look at them go!"

Mattie and Cindy got into the lift with their bags of shopping. "I don't know what's happening Mia, but I'm getting men making passes at me. That's six in a month now. Why me?"

"Your smile."

"It's not that special."

"To you maybe. To everyone else.."

"Really?"

"Really."

Inside the room they find Emily back in underwear, the room very warm with a radiator on.

"Ems! Trying to turn this place into a sauna are you?"

"We can't control the temperature. It's either on or off."

"Mia here helped me find a shop, what do you think of this?" She pulls a top out of a bag.

"Flipping hell! Yes! He'll like that!" The top was covered in a print of hearts and wavy banners, the words Daddy's Girl throughout. "Awesome babe! Did you get clean undies?"

"Yup. And vest tops. Can you give us five Danny?"

"I've seen Ems naked before."

"But not me."

"Oh Christ, sorry." He backs towards the door, "The water's clear now, I've been pressing the support gently since you left, no more soluble filament is coming out."

"Did Fred get a sample of the gunk?"

"He did. He says it's all totally safe to humans, made from food starches mainly."

"Cool.. go!"

"Sure."

[Chapter-23](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-23-1)


	23. Chapter 23

Fred stands patiently with Danny. "Why is it that when it comes to original human women and clothes time estimates are far from accurate? With a synthetic time estimates are almost to the second."

"One of the many mysteries we'll probably never solve. It's worse when you add shoes to the mix. Done much shopping with human women have you?"

"Only Tabitha so far, when I went to get my suit."

"Bad was it?"

"I'll be five minutes turned into and hour and thirty six."

"Did you compliment her on everything she looked at or tried on?"

"Of course."

"Ah. See there's one mistake. You need to give a few, _yeah, it's nice, but_ comments to help trim down the selection. Give us fleshlings too many options and we can't cope."

"Men too?"

"Seen anywhere near as much choice for men?"

"No."

"Well there you go. READY EMS?"

"NO!"

Danny looks at his watch. "Are you a betting man?"

"No."

"Just for fun make a guess as to how much longer they'll be."

"I have no data on which.."

"Guess."

"Ten minutes."

"Six."

"Timer running." He lowers his voice. "Man to man. What do you define as kinky?"

"Me? God. Emily? Although she's not as bad as I thought she might be. I knew one guy at school who's girlfriend was way over the top. Allegedly. You name it, he said she did it. Maybe it was him making things up to make the other lads jealous. Why do you ask?"

"Tabitha asked to be blindfolded."

"Really? There's far worse than that. Read some women's magazines, they're full of the Fifty Shades stuff."

"They are?"

"The one's I've seen at Emily's. There's a saying that men think of it every ten seconds. I think some woman do, just don't want to admit it."

"Interesting."

"So did you?"

"Blindfold her?"

"Yes."

Fred smiled.

"Thought so."

"The works of Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch is definitely being avoided."

"Eh?"

"You said to read some women's magazines. So I did."

"How many?"

"Fifty two. A mixture of English, French, German, Spanish, Ital.." There's a creak from door hinges. "Forty two seconds. We both lose."

Mattie opens the door wide, "Planning a holiday Fred?"

"A holiday?"

"French, German, Spanish?"

"I was telling Danny about some publications I'd read."

Emily steps out in her new clothes. "What do you think lads?"

Danny looks her up and down. "It gets my approval."

Fred looks at her arms. "You could cut a hole in the sleeve to put a thumb through, help prevent them riding up."

"Nice idea Fred. Do you like the design?"

"I do."

"How's Dad?"

"Ready for a test fitting of the print."

Emily waves her hands, "You're turn, I've had enough of getting wet. Seen my mum or sister?"

"No. I was wondering if you knew where they were."

"No idea."

Fred steps into the room and pulls the print from the bath, still in the support material. He tips it upside down for a moment, watches the water drain. "Can someone wrap the towel around this please?"

Emily makes eyes at Danny.

"Sure Fred."

"I've got it." Cindy grabs the towel, "How are things with you Fred?"

"I'm good thank you Cindy."

"Mia." She head bumps.

"Sorry! I'd give you a hug only my hands are full."

Mia hugs his back instead.

"You should bump when you see one of us."

"And spoil the opportunity to see you relaxing with others? What's this for?"

"Follow us and you'll see."

"Lead the way."

Fred steps from the room. "Mattie, Emily, let's go see if Danny's CAD system got the scale right."

Danny looks at Cindy, "He's such a joker, of course it's right. The dimensions came straight off MRI scans so unless Prince James has shrunk in the last day."

Fred doesn't look back. "Those were for the girth. What did you use for length?"

"The measurements of the synth legs."

"When did you get those."

"I didn't, Sandra supplied them."

Mattie opens the door to the prince's recovery room. "Good, you're awake."

The prince holds a hand out. "Let me shake your hand sir." Fred gives him his hand, it's gripped tight. "Quite the poker player aren't you Mr Elster? My team took a massive leap of faith to bring you here, given there's no records of you performing surgery anywhere. In any country. My old legs were close to useless and gave me constant pain. I hope their leap of faith will result in my being able to leap with faith?"

"Leap, run, dance, cycle, swim, whatever you wish, once they've been trained."

"Tell me, honestly, am I the first?"

"To be given legs from a synthetic, to my knowledge, yes. Prior to this I only did reconstruction of legs using the patient's existing flesh and bone."

"Mr Fox, was he a difficult case?"

Mattie felt her bladder wanting to go.

"Exceptionally. His leg was broken in many places. Some fragments were quite small. Would you mind if we hoisted you up so we can do a test fit? We won't connect yet, just see that the sizing was accurate."

"Of course."

Sandra turns and goes to the other side of the room, "Fred, we have the skin from the donor ready if you'd like to test fit that too?"

"Please."

The prince grabs the bed frame and wriggles up the bed, "Come on then, I'm excited to see how it will look."

Fred lowers the supports and gets them under the prince's arms, slowly raises them up until the prince is close to the ceiling. "Comfortable?"

"Enough at the moment."

Fred carefully pulls at the print. It comes out half way and sticks. "Danny, can you help break up the support material, gently, we don't want to puncture a tube."

"Sure Fred."

"Sandra, can we have some more temporary dressing over the stumps please?"

She moved fast, hands a blur. "Good?"

"Great. These will be your legs blood system." Fred carefully pulls them on like high tech stockings. "If you could help hold them up from behind Sandra? Thank you. And this.." he starts feeding the legs into the synth skin. ".. is how your legs will look."

A tear runs down the prince's cheek.

"Father?"

"Bloody Brilliant as you Brits would say! Wunderbar! I look like a man again, not half zombie. How soon can they be fitted?"

"We need to do the sterilisation, Sandra and I could do the operation tonight."

"So in the morning we start the training?"

"If everything goes well, yes."

"I look forward to it. Has anyone seen my wife?"

[Chapter-24](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-24-1)


	24. Chapter 24

Mia's eyes went from white to green. "Stop!"

Mr Wilmonson clicks his stopwatch out of instinct. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Then why shout stop?"

"Because we're finished."

"All the internal second fit too?"

"Yes. Everything."

"You've smashed the two hours fifty two set by the 2HH team then! And for a building way bigger. That's going to ruffle some feathers."

Sophie knew the time from her recording timer. "Tell everyone then!"

He looks up at her and grins, looks back at Toby and Mia. "If the 2HH team could round down to two, when closer to three you can call yours one. One hour forty seven minutes. Remarkable! Congratulations, you're now officially Guinness World Record holders."

Toby grabbed Mia's hands and got her spinning around then hugged her. "Now people will get to know you for another reason. Shall we go have a tour?"

Mia waves the rest of the family over, "Come see our new home."

Astrid sat on the bed and looked around the room. "This feels like a dream. Two hours ago there was rubble here. It's beautiful. And the view out of the window onto the lake. So calming."

Niska sat next to her and gave her a kiss. "You'd like staying here? Rather than the flat at the coast?"

"Yes! Then you can see your family too."

It's rewarded with a second kiss.

Sophie smiles at them both. "Mia, which is my room?"

"A little one at the back overlooking what will be a vegetable garden."

Sophie's shoulders drop. "Oh."

"I'm joking, you've got one at the front just like this one."

"With a big double bed?"

"Yes."

"Show me! Please."

Mia's practically dragged from the room.

Toby watches the two leave. "What do you think Mum?"

"I'm almost lost for words. To think we now have a beautiful place to live, all mortgage free. We need to repay everyone's charity by making it work well."

"Technically we don't, it was people repaying Mia for what she's already done but yeah, it's going to be a busy place. Go check out your room."

Laura takes Michael's hand and tows him out Sophie style.

A Howard knocks on the door. "Nis, I have something for you. It was spotted in the ruins." He holds out a thick badly burnt book.

Niska opens it and it starts falling apart. Astrid goes to pick up the pages that fall.

"Don't worry about them. There's only one page that matters." She carefully turns a few pages. "This one." It's slowly and gently pulled from the world atlas. "How I got my name and nickname." The page is held up to the light. A tiny shaft of light shines through a pin prick.

Astrid frowns at the page. "Niska?"

"And Nis. Leo picked my name by putting a pin in the map."

"That could have gone horribly wrong."

"But went so right."

"I'll get it framed for you."

Astrid gets another kiss. "Could you get two identical box frames? Deep enough to hold an object?"

"Sure. How deep?"

Niska holds finger and thumb apart. "And on the second have the words Break Glass above with In Emergencies Only below?"

"If that's what you'd like. What's going in it?"

"A souvenir."

Fred watches the sterilisation water flowing through the artificial veins. "Can you make more of your machines easily Danny?"

"Yeah, no problem. Who needs one?"

"My brothers will all require one."

"Brothers?"

"Prince James has kindly offered to have more of me made, I'll replicate our work around the world."

"Nice. Friendly Robot, Exceptional Doctor. Hope you don't mind the robot bit, it was the first R word I could think of that fit."

"Normally I would. When there are more of me you can make it Freds and make the last word Synthetic or Surgeon, find something to replace the R."

"You're on."

"Who's going to make them Persona?"

"No. HECLS."

"But we don't have the technology."

"Check your watch. What's the time in the UK?"

"Um.. coming up to six?"

"It should be there now then."

"I was thinking about what we talked about earlier, too much choice. Years ago it was a question of black coffee or coffee with cream and sugar. Today it's all Cappuccino, Latte, Espresso, Americano, Mocha, Frappuccino and a whole load in between. It's no wonder you see some people panic and say _I just wanted a coffee_. Which is what I need right now."

Sophie comes running through what would become the hospital's recovery wing when the beds and equipment arrived. "EVERYONE! A PERSONA LORRY IS BLOCKING THE ROAD! THE DRIVER SAYS HE NEEDS A HAND!"

Everyone follows her. Laura is almost jogging to keep up with her daughter. "Soph? They're not trying to take away synths are they?"

"He says he's got a load of dead ones that need a Mia fix up. And a surprise."

Mia looks at the smiling driver and nods. It was a brother. "Hello me."

Hubert climbs out of the cab. "You make me sound like a grilled cheese. Hi original me. I have twenty three bodies in need of some TLC, and a build machine paid for by Prince Ferdinand."

"A build machine?"

"So you can make brand new bodies for synths who's minds are good but have bodies too broken to repair. It's supplied on one proviso, you all make an army of Surgeon Fred. It's very heavy and I can't turn into your drive."

Frank turns to see the crowd growing behind him, "Dozer? Where are you?"

"Here boss."

"Get Miley off, we need to use the crane."

"Sure boss, on it boss."

Sophie takes a picture of the lorry side being pulled back like a giant curtain and messages it to her sister.

[Chapter-25](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-25-1)


	25. Chapter 25

Emily sat next to her father. "Do you think I found a good one?"

"Daniel?"

"Yeah."

"Exceptional. Well done dear. I'm happy for you. Where on earth are your mother and sister?"

Emily shrugs, "I asked around, they were seen walking out yesterday."

He pats the bed for his phone.

"Don't bother, they're both going straight to voicemail."

Mattie hears her phone chime again but ignores it out of politeness. "Sandra, can you ask your brothers and sisters if they've seen them please?"

"Of course Mattie."

"Thanks. Fred is preparing the special short tubes that will become the link between your arteries and the new synthetic ones. We should have your new legs on in a few hours. He suggests we start the training in three days time if the skin to synthetic skin healing is taking."

"Three days.. at least I'll be able to look normal until then. Are you doing it under general or local?"

"Fred said local."

"Good. May I watch?"

"If that would interest you. Can I suggest you get some sleep until then?"

"Emily, could you get my headphones please?"

Fred carefully dipped a small short tube two fifths into a solution, held it there for a few seconds then put it on the heated drying rack. "Ten more so we have some spares and that's enough of each size. When they're set we'll treat the other ends."

"Pinkish end stump, blueish one legs?"

"Exactly. The pink one will appear to the cells as bone. He won't like the next phase, we'll need to drug him even more to immobilise him, we can't risk any movement while the veins and arteries take to the tubes."

"That gives me an idea. You said you have to bond the synth skin in a number of places to stop it from twisting. If he broke one of the connections the blood would pool in a foot right?"

"Correct."

"So how about putting a sensor inside each foot to detect blood? I could have it fire the phone style buzzer so he feels vibrations to warn him he needs to see a Fred urgently."

"Good thinking. I know just the place to put it. Can you start your CAD application?"

"Already running mate, hasn't been closed since we got it going the first time."

Sophie watched the crane slowly lift the weight of the build machine and shuddered. "Spooky. I feel like I've done something like this before."

Laura smiled, "Potato that's not possible."

"I know Mummy. It's just a feeling."

The three were in the crane cab, Sophie sat on the edge of the seat between Dozer's legs, Laura was standing, squeezed into the front left corner.

Sophie puts her head right back to see him. "Now what?"

"We let the Mia army slowly let out the ropes holding it in position while you raise it a little more, it'll swing to below the arm. Then you can lift it high and over the trees, then turn and lower the arm a little, lower it to the ground."

"Then we move the crane and do it again?"

"And repeat until we've got it at the entrance onto all those scaffolding poles so we can roll it in like Egyptians making the pyramid."

Laura squeezes the radio, "Mia's can you start feeding out rope slowly please?"

Sophie nudges the control as she'd been taught. "This is cool. What's the scariest thing you've had to crane somewhere?"

"A World War Two bomb found down a shaft. The army defused it but said not to knock it."

"Why didn't they lift it out?"

"We were already on site, I broke open the hidden shaft."

"Oh."

They watch as the large rectangular machine slowly swings into position.

Fred starts dipping the tubes that had dried the longest. "Can you load up the model for a Series K, delete everything except for a heal plate?"

"K. Okay. Keep both?"

"Just one. We'll modify it and mirror it."

"Right." He watches a status bar update. "Downloaded. Select all, deselect a heal plate. Done. Now what?"

"Make a small slot that will take your sensor that won't impact weight bearing."

"Hmm. What's the best way for the wires to route?"

"Behind the rear actuator."

"Okay. Done."

"Can you duplicate it, mirror it and machine a set in titanium."

"If we had a block of titanium big enough left."

"We don't?"

"The extra brackets?"

"You used it all?"

"I've not got a saw to cut blocks down. We can trade in the milling scraps."

"Please do. As a matter of some urgency. We can't fit until they're made."

"I'll see if the supplier can bike some over."

[Chapter-26](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-26-1)


	26. Chapter 26

Later that night Emily sat in the viewing gallery with Mattie. "I guess Car and Mum only want to see the end result, not what went into it."

"Hopefully that's it. Odd that nobody's seen them."

They watch as Fred clamps arteries, pulls temporary tubes and fits the joiners.

Mattie shakes her head slightly, "It wasn't that long ago I was helping the doctor after the awakening and freaking out over a few insects in a man's knee. And here we are watching your father with no legs and I'm accepting it as if it's an everyday thing. Frigging weird. Aren't you disturbed at all by it?"

"I helped Dad with his dressings when he was in London years ago."

"Was it bad?"

"Horrible." Emily sits still for a moment watching the operation. "Don't take this the wrong way babe, but I love you. If you hadn't introduced me to Danny Dad would probably be stuck in a wheelchair or have to put up with those old school artificial legs."

"If you hadn't been so different and appeared in my dream none of this would have happened at all."

Emily turns to see her friend and grins, "Maybe. I'm going to ask Sandra for images, we can write it all up for the professor."

"Frigging hell! I've been so wrapped up in this I totally forgot uni. I wonder what we've missed?" Phone chime remembered she gets her phone out and sees a load of notifications for Sophie's photos and video clip. "Cool, the build's a record breaker!"

"Let's see?"

Sandra hands Fred another set of coupler tubes. "Sorry you can't speak your highness. Can you still see alright?"

The prince hums twice.

"Sorry, the drugs are impacting your ability to move your eyes. We're monitoring your heart, we'll inject the counter agent if we feel it's needed. We need you to keep perfectly still to give the tubes the best chance."

Hum.

"You'll be able to watch the whole operation through my eyes later if you'd like?"

Hum.

Fred fits another tube. "Good. A general anaesthetic could have been too much for you given you've had one only a short while ago. Okay. We're about to let blood flow into your new legs. I know you find it hard to hum, but if you feel like you're about to faint please hum."

Within seconds the prince hums.

Fred looks up to the gallery, "Emily, what blood type are you?"

Emily draws an A in the air.

"Good, could you donate a pint please?"

Leo finishes his fast walk around the lake and swigs a Lucozade. "I should get a sponsorship deal with them."

Max reaches for the bottle, "You're consuming too much sugar Leo, I'm worried for your health."

"I'm burning up calories like there's no tomorrow.."

"You should still eat healthier.."

"Okay Max! I'll talk to Mia. If it makes you happy."

"It will. Thank you."Max smiles as Leo walks off in a huff. "Mr Grumpy is back."

"I heard that."

"You were meant to. Go phone Mattie and get it off your chest."

Leo spins around. "Get what off my chest?"

"That you're missing her."

"Says who?"

Flash moves a little closer to Max and holds his hand. "You do. The human part of you, the bits you can't turn off. Old Leo may not have understood her and taken her for granted. Do you?"

Leo took a good deep breath. "Understand her? Maybe a little more than I did. Do I take her for granted? No. She's a driving force behind a lot of things going on in our lives."

"So go call her, talk."

Mattie watched from the gallery as Emily donated blood. A little over a pint to help her father's blood pressure stabilise. Her phone rings. Being the only one in the gallery she puts it on speaker. "Hi Leo, liking your new home? Mia's build looks awesome."

"Have you seen the video?"

"A short clip."

"Ask Sophie to send the compressed time lapse. I've never seen a group of synths work together on a task like that before. What would you call them? A flock, cluster, swarm.."

"I like cluster. I'll ask Teeny to send it. How are your legs?"

"Good thanks, I just did a fast lap of the lake."

"Energiser Bunny fast?"

"Pretty much. How's it going out there? Will you be home soon?"

Mattie smiled, he'd just sounded bashful. "A few more days. It's going really well, although Emily's just had to go into the theatre to donate some blood to help get her father's BP back up."

"Why? What happened?"

"Fred let some blood flow into the artificial veins Danny made for his synth legs. You'll have some Energiser Bunny competition."

"Synth legs?"

"From the hips down."

There's a long silence. "Is Fred doing the surgery or Dad?"

"Fred." Mattie twists a bit of hair around a finger. "Have rooms been allocated yet?"

"Bedrooms?"

"Are there any others to allocate?"

"Um.. I suppose not. Yes they have."

"Do we have adjacent rooms?"

"We do."

"Good."

There was another long silence. Mattie smiled softly to herself. If she didn't know better she'd swear that his thinking hard was causing electrical interference that she could hear over the call. She looked at the phone, willed him to stop thinking and just say it.

"I miss you."

"Mr Elster! You miss me? Why?"

"I miss your sass. And that smile."

So Mia had been telling the truth? "Keep your phone charged, I'll get Emily to take some photos later, I got some cool clothes earlier with some help from a Mia."

"Okay. I better go, she's made a first meal for us all, I'm being bumped."

"Cool. We'll get the food processor sorted when we're back."

"And Odi. We had to carry him over, he's sat on your bed facing the lake. Max is being very patient waiting to get back out."

"Aww, thanks. Call me back after dinner."

"Okay, talk later."

She'd cut some things from her dream document before sharing the edited copy. Like the two of them being married. Some things you didn't want to jinx. Then she remembered the spreadsheet. MEH!

[Chapter-27](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-27-1)


	27. Chapter 27

Emily sat back in the chair and looked up at Mattie, then across to her father. "Fred, when Dad's healed can he fly?"

"It's probably best he doesn't for a few weeks."

"How about Eurostar?"

"That would be fine, he could stay in an ambulance."

"Good. Why don't you come home with me Dad? Danny can stay at mine for a while, we can help program up the legs and get you moving again."

Sandra looks over to see her briefly, "I can stay too if you'd like, just to be on hand?"

Hum. There's a long pause. Hum.

"Was that a yes, yes Dad?"

Hum.

Fred grins. "That's helping get his blood pressure back up. Careful your highness, your sock is moving."

Emily giggles, "Was that on hand or hands on? Don't embarrass me Dad!"

Fred injects Emily's blood donation directly into the new legs, makes the last of the connections and carefully lets the air escape. "We can now work on the final fit. Not long now and you'll be a whole man again."

Mattie is joined by Cindy Mia. "Mattie, can we talk?"

"Sure."

"Not here."

"The intercom is one way."

"It would still be better to talk outside."

"Why?"

"All will become clear."

Mattie gets up and waves to Emily, "Toilet!" She points and does a mime.

Emily nods.

"Cool. Let's talk."

In the corridor Cindy gives her a sorry smile.

"Mia?"

"We found his wife and other daughter."

"Are they okay?"

"Yes. On their way to a police cell."

"What!"

"They were found paying off the lorry driver. It would appear the accident was staged."

"Frigging hell!"

"Caroline lost her horse to make it look more like an accident. It was suffering from a degenerative disease, was close to being put down anyway."

"Shit! We can't tell the prince, not until he's fully recovered. We'll need to make an excuse. We don't want him having a heart attack or blood pressure spike."

"Agreed. Go to the toilet, you can't return to the gallery too soon."

"Right."

Sat on a toilet seat killing time Mattie looks at more photos from Sophie. She'd taken shots from inside a lot of the room. One was from over Odi's shoulder, slightly back so he filled part of the frame. "Not long now Odi. And if your body is badly broken we can build you another. Christ the prince must be minted. Those machines cost millions." She hears a door open and footsteps. It must be the human nurse.

Time killed she goes to the sinks and checks herself in the mirror, washes her hands despite them still being clean. Just as she's opening the door Cindy opens her cubicle door, "Wait for me."

"Eh? What were you doing?"

"Practicing."

"Practicing?"

"For when I have a food processor fitted. We'll all need to dispose of waste product. I've not had reason to relax my sphincter before."

"Oh. How was it?"

"It felt.. strange."

Mattie raises an eyebrow and smiles, "I bet it did. I'm heading back to the gallery, coming?"

"I'm heading over to the clothes shop with some other me to talk about the London branch more."

"Nice! Emily will like having that around. See you later Mia, or at least one of you. You don't share with other synths, do you share with yourself?"

"The female versions share with each other, the males do the same. There's some things shared between us all but it's filtered?"

"Filtered? Like what?"

"Experiences with Toby."

"Ah! Yeah, best keep that to yourselves. Has he done the poem for you yet?"

"He's still working on it according to the last update I got. Take care Mattie." Cindy Mia gives her a gentle hug. "Give my love to Little Mouse and Laura."

"Not Toby?"

"I'm sure he's getting more than enough already."

Back in the gallery she sees Emily had fallen asleep, her father too. He'd been closed up. The synth skin wasn't exactly the same colour as the prince, close enough though. The join between the two had been carefully shaped to minimise stress on the scar and hide it under swimming trunks or pants. "Nice job Fred!"

She leaves the gallery to go and find Danny.

[Chapter-28](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-28-1)


	28. Chapter 28

Danny was playing with 3D synth design. "Hi Mattie, how's it going with the prince?"

"Okay, now that Emily's donated a pint of blood." He goes to get up. "Whoa. She's sleeping. Don't wake her up."

"Okay. Where is she?"

"In the theatre with her father. He's all closed up, it'll be programming time when he's awake."

"Sweet. Have you seen this software? You can feed it a ton of photos and it works out a 3D model for you." He clicks and Synth Emily loads.

"Good eh?"

"I'd hide that if I were you."

"Why?"

"She might get jealous or suspicious?"

"True. One Emily's enough though. This one you'll recognise." He clicks again.

"Fred! Where'd you get enough images?"

"Memories from Mia, Niska and Max. I've sent the design over so they can make the next Fred."

"Haha. Can you imagine a Fred army finding Edwin?"

Danny spins around in his chair, "He'd have a heart attack for sure. Would serve the fucker right too. Has anyone found the wife yet?"

"She's um.. busy with something, why?"

"Someone needs to touch him so we can work out the sensor translation table. Emily and I can't. Can you?"

Mattie gives him bug eyes, "Me? I'm not doing it!"

"Which leaves Fred or Sandra. And we know how he feels about Sandra."

"Hmm."

"Good hmm or bad hmm?"

"She looks like a 1980's porn star. And before you ask I found some old mags under Toby's bed."

Danny breaks the spin with his heals. "He's risking his health having her do it."

"I'll do it then. With a pointer or something, not my fingers. You and Fred can watch."

"I need to be there to do the software anyway."

"Good. We have a plan then."

"Lady luck needs an offering. This could have gone so horribly wrong. Apart from Ems slipping in the bath and the gloop ruining her arm ink it's been hitch free so far."

She gives a nod of agreement. "Mostly, the prince's blood pressure drop needs to be factored into any other op we do that's similar."

"The reason for the blood donation?"

"Yeah. About Ems's arm ink. Do you have her home phone number?"

"Sure, why?"

"Just an idea. Can you forward it to me?"

"If it'll help?"

"It'll help."

That evening as Danny, Mattie and Fred got started on the long process of mapping sensor to nerve data Emily had Owen redo her arms.

"Mattie's going to get a big hug for this! Thanks for coming over you two."

Owen looked at his partner for a second, resumed inking. "We've never traveled abroad before your highness, it's been an enjoyable experience so far."

"Forget your highness, stick to Emily or Ems."

"As you wish."

"You should take a few weeks off and enjoy yourselves, have a holiday on me. I'll pay for any hotels you want to try."

"Thank you Emily, we'd enjoy that."

"The heart, can you do a stylish letter D in it please?"

"Certainly. D for Daniel?"

"And Daddy. For the two men in my life."

"What a lovely idea."

"How did you get here?"

"Mattie arranged for a bike to get us to the Eurostar, we got a train into Paris and from there another bike to the hospital. We've never ridden a bike before, that was an experience I'll never forget."

"Good or bad?"

"Very good."

"Did you enjoy it Veronica?"

"I did thank you Emily. I have a story to share with you later. I won't say it now incase you laugh and move."

Mattie stroked a tiny bit of the base of the prince's foot. "How about there?"

"Other knee, top of my right calf, middle left shin."

"Okay. If I slow that right down."

"Left knee."

Danny taps away. "Try again?"

"My foot! It tickles."

Mattie beams, "Brilliant!" She marks it with a red pen. "Now this bit?"

"Right calf again."

Danny looks at the two maps of the prince's legs. "Okay, saved for later, we've not found that part of your foot yet. Next."

Mattie moves the pointer a few millimetres.

"Middle left shin."

"Can you point to it?"

The prince looks into the big mirror suspended above the bed and aims his laser pointer so it bounces off it. "I'd say about there."

"Fred, can you touch the prince there please?"

Fred does so.

"Aha! My foot!"

Danny looks back to the maps. "Where?"

"Forward from the bit that tickled!"

"Cool, a straight swap. Try again Fred."

"My shin."

"And you Mattie?"

"My foot! Wunderbar! How much have we done so far?"

Danny looks at the stats on the screen. Only two percent so far, sorry."

"Two is good. When my teams rebuild businesses it takes time. I don't expect this to be any different. Take a break if you'd like."

Mattie shakes her head, "I'm good, how about you Danny?"

"Yeah, let's try making it three before we finish tonight. Hopefully it will be like Dad doing one of his puzzles, slow at the start while he finds the edges then faster and faster as pieces fall into place."

Emily rolled onto her front so Owen could do the backs of her arms. "If you guys want to take flights and explore a bit more do. You don't have to rush home."

"Thank you Emily. We'd like to stay in Paris for a while."

"That's cool. Please say you brought the Amex I got you?"

"I did."

"Buy yourselves a luggage case and go shopping for clothes. And that's an order!" She starts giggling. "Stop inking a sec. You on a bike in your butler suit must have been a sight. What sort of bike did you get?"

"Harley Davidson Softail."

Emily bursts into fits of giggles. "Oh boy! I can picture you both. As Owen's paused what was your story Veronica?"

"I've got so used to talking with my mouth instead of head bumping I leant sideways a little and opened it to say something to Owen. And swallowed a flying beetle."

Emily starts crying with laughter, kicking her feet on the sofa, "Oh Ver, did you swallow it whole?"

"Luckily I had a food bag in, Owen stopped and we let it go."

"It survived? Wow."

"It went straight down. It must have pulled it's wings in last moment."

"Good job the bags are strong."

"And we weren't going faster."

James pointed to another spot with his laser. "About there I'd say."

Danny clicks. "Ready."

Mattie touches with the thin but blunt pointer. "How's that?"

"Spot on."

"Great. There's a bit of a pattern forming I think."

"I'd agree. I think we'll hit five at this rate."

Danny keeps his eyes on the screen, "What if I said we're at six already?"

"We are?"

"Six point two five."

"Then I think you should both go get some rest. Can Fred and Sandra continue? I promise not to get over excited."

Mattie shakes her head. "Sorry, we're not risking that. You should get some rest too. Tomorrow's another day as my Mum would say."

Sophie lay in her new bed surrounded by an army of soft toys. "It's cool here Mummy. Can we stay here?"

"That's the idea potato. The drive to work will be a bit longer but it'll be worth it coming home to this."

"What's going to happen to the house?"

"We'll rent it out."

"Okay."

"Did you enjoy yourself today?"

Sophie nods vigorously, "My show and tell tomorrow is going to be brilliant!"

"Get a good nights sleep then."

"Can you read me a story?"

"Aren't you a bit old for that?"

"Harry Potter?"

Laura nods and smiles, "Why not. I thought you wanted the Little Mouse again."

"I'm not a baby."

"I know. Where are you up to?"

"When he's on the train with Hermione and Ron."

"Okay, shift over."

Emily got up and checked her reflection in a window, "I'm back! Thanks hun."

Owen packed his equipment, "You are welcome Emily. Anything else I can do for you before we go?"

"Yes. Promise me you'll go and have some fun."

"Certainly Emily."

She kissed him on the cheek. "You can leave that with me if you want?"

"I'll take it if you don't mind. I'll look for synthetic compatible ink and get a heart of my own. With a V."

"Aww, you guys! Go have fun." She gives Veronica a kiss. "Any issues call me okay?"

Veronica gives her a hug, "Thank you Emily."

Emily steps into her father's room and giggles, "It looks like someone's tried to ink you. Not sure what the design is supposed to be."

"Hello Princess, good timing, I was just dropping off."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. You've had work done?"

Emily turns, "D for Daddy and Danny."

"You are definitely my girl."

"I better let you rest. It's going okay?"

"Brilliantly. Night Princess."

Emily nods to Fred and Sandra, "Night then. Sweet dreams Daddy."

Danny is waiting for her in the corridor, "Forget sofas, we've got a room."

"Wanna play doctor?"

[Chapter-29](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-29-1)


	29. Chapter 29

Day two of programming started at eight.

The prince smiled at Mattie, "You look well rested. More so than Danny."

Emily grinned, "Don't start.."

"Did I say anything.."

"Father! Stop! Don't embarrass me!"

"Then take note that the walls are thin. If it were not for my headphones.."

Emily goes a light crimson. "Oops."

Danny hides his face wondering just how much the prince had put up with until popping on the headphones. "Sorry your highness."

"You've passed one test, nobody who wants to marry my daughter can be like Prince Theobold. Good luck to Caroline with him, I'd not risk that."

"Risk what sir?"

"Not knowing if he's.. how would you translate? Shit under the sheets? I made that mistake with my wife, I don't want my daughters to make the same but Caroline will not listen."

Danny exchanged an embarrassed smile with Emily.

The prince sighs, "There's no thrown to worry about these days, but that would make you Prince Daniel in certain circles. Would that bother you?"

"No sir. As I only expect to move in the circles Emily is happy to move in herself."

"Good answer. Test two passed. Only test three remains."

"What's test three?"

"I cannot speak of it. You must figure it out for yourself."

"To ask your permission for your daughter's hand in marriage?"

The prince gets into a coughing fit. Fred and Sandra are by his side fast with water and to try and hold him down. "Your highness! Try to resist it, you don't want to blow veins."

After a few more coughs he waves a hand for the glass. "Sorry. You better check me incase one went. You're a sharp one Daniel Candlin."

Fred tilts the bed, "Thanks to an idea from Daniel we'll get a buzzing alarm if blood leeks into either leg."

"And if it does?"

"I'll need to perform keyhole surgery to fix it."

"Sorry. Can we carry on with the sensor training? We're doing so well."

By lunch time they'd hit nineteen percent.

The prince rubs his stomach, "Can I risk food yet?"

Sandra shakes her head, "Only if you're okay with laxatives and bed baths. We don't want you straining and popping a vein."

"If that's what it takes. Who's hungry? I could eat a horse! Not Caroline's."

Mattie keeps eye contact with Emily, "I'm pizza'd out. What do you fancy?"

"No idea. Daddy?"

"A good Caesar salad?"

"Awesome. Anyone seen Curtis?"

Mattie broke eye contact, "No. Sandra? Any of the team seen him or any of the drivers?"

"No. I'll ask around."

"Thanks."

James looks at the pen marks. "I look like one of those weather maps with vector lines for wind direction. I know you don't want me moving my legs, any chance of wiggling my toes Danny?"

"Sorry, no. We need to map nerves in the other direction too. You could go to move a big toe and kick your leg high."

"I thought you said it would be in two stages? My willing something to move first, it being mapped then turning them on?"

"I did didn't I. What do you think Fred? Comfortable with that?"

"By all means. It would be good to prove the system in the other direction. If you can ensure only toes get enabled."

"I can fix the firmware to disable everything else for the moment, limit it to big toes?"

"That would be good."

Danny gets to work, the synth charge port letting him talk to the micro controller running all the conversion. "Detailed documentation something design. What's a good D word to stick there?"

Mattie does a wonky pout. "Hmm. Drives?"

"Delivers?"

They all look at the prince.

"Nice one Dad. Fred, Sandra, anything better?"

"No."

Sandra nods the once. "Both words fit well. Detailed documentation is needed at both stages, research and delivery."

The prince looks at his toes. "Am I going to get a user manual?"

"Yes. Isn't he Mattie."

"Yeah, sure."

The prince frowns, "We've been mapping touch, which I guess is pressure, what happens with pain and temperature?"

"They're the same sensor on a synth."

"Not on a human are they?"

Danny looks at his screen, thinks fast. "No. But once we've mapped touch you can quickly sort the others out."

"How?"

"Double tap."

"I'm not an assassin in a movie."

"Double touch. Once with something cold, once to say where you felt the cold. I can have code switch the temperature locations over fast."

"And pain?"

"Same again."

"Induced how?"

Danny waits for either of the synths to offer a solution. They don't. "Um.. Good question. We don't want to cause any damage."

Sandra raises a finger, "An idea has just come to me." She twitches and whispers _Don't fight me or option three goes back on the table_. "We have the micro controller dump all sensor ID values out to the PC. Then you have it accept an ID one at a time, it reprograms the sensor to send pain for a second, temperature for a second, then return to normal. James taps each location in the order of pain then temperature. With touch fully mapped it would know which to put where."

Danny opens a document, "Nice idea!! That would work. I'll add it to my to do list for tomorrow along with D4. So who fancies getting the food in?"

The prince, Emily and Mattie smile at him.

"Oh. My turn is it? Fair enough."

[Chapter-30](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-30-1)


	30. Chapter 30

With the three days Fred had suggested for initial healing up the prince is being wheeled into an ambulance for his trip to London. Touch was now fully mapped.

Mattie looks at Sandra, she'd changed into something racier in orange. "What's happening to David?"

"I'm going to drop him off with a friend. They'll keep an eye on him. I'll be flying solo."

"Cool."

"Can you do me a favour Mattie?"

"Sure."

Sandra reaches into a bag to grab something, hands Mattie a boxed high capacity hard drive. "Can you get this to Niska, she's expecting it."

"What is it?"

"A gift, they were on clearance."

"Okay. You're travelling with James aren't you?"

"With Danny, Emily and Fred, yes. Just in case there are unexpected emergencies."

"Cool. Careful not to get him too excited."

"You think I'm another good girl gone bad?"

"I don't think. I _know_. You get a chance to explore another side of your personality. With a rich prince. I can't blame you one bit. I've seen the looks you've both exchanged."

"I can't have Toby without copying him and I don't see him liking that idea. Yet."

"A backup for a life with Mia original, sure, I don't think a Toby Army's his thing somehow."

"When does Leo arrive in Paris?"

"Three something."

"Did you make the first move?"

"What do you think?"

"That's a yes then. Enjoy your weekend, original me will see you Monday?"

"We're back late Sunday night, so yeah, probably Monday."

"Sandra, we're ready."

They turn to see Fred by the side door. "One moment Fred. Mattie tell Leo all about your love of coffee."

"Um.. sure." She sees Curtis waving. "Better go, my lift is waiting."

"If it helps Danny tell him I can write up everything we've done."

"You tell him, you'll be traveling with him."

"I thought it should come from the boss."

Mattie rolls her eyes and steps to the ambulance. "Sandra's offering to write everything up Danny. Good with you?"

"Brilliant!"

"See, painless. Your Highness, behave in London. Princess Ems, see you in lectures Monday?"

"Sure babe. Thanks for everything."

"Thank you and your father is more like it. See you soon."

Curtis watches her buckle up. "Eurostar Paris for you, then the estate address you gave me for all the equipment?"

"Thanks. I'll get it to Danny during the week."

"I'm going to enjoy being back in London for a while."

"Been away long?"

"Far too long."

They watch the ambulance follow the lead Range Rover and be followed by the second.

"Miss Hawkins, for a woman your age you've landed on your feet like a cat. Well done. Your gamble paid off."

"Gamble?"

"We had people speak to people. We know that Fred only fixed a young fox. A fox his father thought needed putting down. You had the balls and team to put an idea into action. None of the other surgeons we spoke to had your convictions, that something like this was even remotely possible. You did. Or at least your secretary said you did."

"My secretary said?"

"Your mother? She is the HECLS Company Secretary is she not?"

Mum. Thanks Mum. Thanks a lot. Good thanks. "Yeah. That's Mum. Ace Defence Lawyer and Company Secretary."

"I'd not recommend her even if his highness hadn't already struck a deal."

"What?"

"He knows all about it. The accident that wasn't."

"Since when?"

"The early hours of this morning. I messaged him and he called me back."

"What's he done?"

"Got them to drop all charges. But they've had their titles stripped and all access to his family and fortune."

"That's a shame, Emily lost a sister."

"She lost her years ago. Emily is far better off with your gang. And her father. Enough chitter chat, lets get you to your man. What sort of music do you like?"

"All sorts."

"A bit of The Who then."

Mattie had no recollection of passing from one country to the next. She'd slept well enough in the hospital room but the cosy seat, warm air and scent from the thing dangling from the rear view mirror had her drifting off in no time. She dreamt a silly dream of Prince James doing stunts while asleep like Wallace in The Wrong Trousers.

"Miss Hawkins?"

"Hmm."

"Miss Hawkins."

"Hmm."

"Mattie. Is that your man?"

Mattie yawned, rubbed her eyes and sat bolt upright. "Where?"

"Holding flowers, chocolates and a bottle of what I guess is Champagne? Over there."

"Oh my God. It is. That's Leo."

"So he's Leo Elster. Well enjoy your weekend, hopefully our paths will cross again."

"Thanks for the lift."

"No problem at all, I had to come to Paris to get the train back."

[Chapter-31](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-31-1)


	31. Chapter 31

She gives him a wave as he pulls away, turns to see Leo on the other side of the road. He still hadn't noticed her. She sticks her fingers in her mouth and whistles. He turns and smiles.

"YOU MADE IT THEN!"

"I HAD SOME FUN WHILE I WAITED!"

Mattie checks the traffic both ways and crosses. "What sort of fun?"

"A little hacking."

"Doing what exactly?"

"You'll have to wait until dusk. I'll be arrested if they work out what I did."

"Leo! What have you done?"

"Left a message."

"Where?"

"You'll see. Fancy a boat trip?"

"Why not. Do you know where we go?"

"This way, I've got the map memorised. Or rather the bits we need."

"Did you bring glasses?"

"No, we'll have to slum it and sip from the bottle."

Mattie sighed, Leo was still awkward unconventional Leo. "Is it cold?"

"I think it's defrosted okay."

"You froze it?"

"I did."

"That's at least two things you've got right today then."

"You cheeky.."

"Whoa. Careful which word you pick next. I've already been likened to an animal starting with C."

"M."

"Eh?"

"Minx. An impudent, cunning, or boldly flirtatious girl or young woman."

"And which am I?"

"If Niska's training was right the last."

"Niska?"

"And Astrid. They showed me some body language, told me to pay attention."

"They did, did they?"

Leo frowned, "That is what I just said wasn't it? Or are my circuits playing up?"

"It was. You're walking well."

"Thanks. Max has got me off the sports drinks. Mia's got me hooked on new cakes. I swear she's gone a little bad."

"Why?"

"She's called them Eat Me."

Mattie stops dead. "You what?"

"The cakes you mention in your dream document. With no recipe she made one up. It's rolled oats and all sorts of good stuff she says."

Mattie catches up. "Got any on you?"

"A couple left. I thought you might like to try one. Can you hold these a minute? Thanks."

Mattie watches him pull out a wallet and a cake.

"I'll swap you a cake for flowers. Thanks." He turns to face a tiny ticket booth. "Deux s'il vous plait."

"Since when do you speak French?"

"About ten minutes after I got off the train and downloaded a language pack. New tech in the old head remember?"

Mattie just bounced eyebrows.

"Where's Dad?"

"Sandra said she was dropping him off somewhere."

"So he escapes again. Oh well. This way."

Mattie follows, "This cake is good!"

"I thought you'd like it. Your flowers."

"What do I do with them?"

"You'll see."

He leads her down to a boat and waves her onboard, "After you."

A waiter shows them to a table, takes the old flowers from the vase. "Madam."

Leo grins, "Yours are already cut to length, allow me." Rubber band and cellophane removed they're lowered into the water, they settle into a nice arrangement.

"They're beautiful Leo! Thank you."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Your smile."

"Why is everyone going on about my smile?"

"Because it's beautiful."

"Flattery will get you somewhere. Not quite sure where yet."

A waiter brings two glasses over. "Madam."

She frowns at Leo, "Was this the plan all along?"

"Maybe."

"And when do the chocolates come into play."

"Dusk. You still have your phone with you don't you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You'll need it."

They spent a lovely afternoon on the boat chatting, drinking, having lunch and exchanging stories about their busy weeks.

Mattie took another sip and gazed into Leo's eyes. "Max having a twin brother soon? I hadn't expected that."

"He doesn't want the experience of helping Odi to go to waste. He says he'll go into the world helping others like him. Jump in, fix things, jump out."

"I'd expected Fred to be the first."

"He'll be third."

"Huh? Who's second?"

"Flash. To keep Max Two company."

"Awww, she's so sweet." Her phone chimes. "Give me a sec, that's Emily. They're home already! At Emily's that is. They've carried him upstairs into a bedroom on the stretcher. Oh. My. God!"

"What?"

"Danny's asked the question!"

"What question?"

"If the prince will allow him to take Emily as his wife!"

"He's proposed to Emily already?"

"Yup!"

Leo looks a little annoyed.

"Monsieur, nous sommes ici."

Leo turns to see one of the crew. "Oh. Merci. Mattie we need to get off."

[Chapter-32](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-32-1)


	32. Chapter 32

Mattie climbed the narrow stairs watching Leo's bum wiggle as he led the way. "What made you pick this one? It's a bit.."

"Pokey?"

"Small. And old. Not five star for sure."

"You told me about it."

Mattie frowned hard at his bottom, "When?"

"Right at the end of our long chat. I think you were falling asleep."

"What did I say?"

"You described the view. I checked a lot of hotels, only this one gives quite the view you described."

"When did you arrive in Paris?"

"Three days ago."

"Eh?"

"I had an idea after reading your dream notes again."

"So when I called you last you weren't in the UK. Sneaky."

"Your description of the view was detailed enough."

"But I've never stayed in a hotel in Paris. A day trip with school years ago but we didn't stay overnight."

"Maybe you'd seen it in a movie and remembered it?"

"If I did I can't remember which."

At the landing Leo walks the short distance to a door and holds the handle. "Close your eyes."

Mattie does as asked. "Okay." She hears the door brush against carpet, feels Leo take her hand.

"Keep them closed."

"Sure."

He leads her into the room and closes the door. "Hopefully I've not been too presumptuous. You can open them now."

"Oh my God! Leo!" The bed was covered in rose petals. A massive bottle of perfume sat in the middle making the covers dip. "How did you know about the perfume?"

Leo frowned, "You told me?"

"When?"

"The same night you told me about the view."

Mattie turned to see a set of floor to ceiling doors, a large old fashioned free standing bath positioned so the bather could watch the Eiffel Tower. "Frigging hell!"

"Hopefully heaven."

Mattie turns to see his boyish grin. "Presumptuous much?"

"I'm only going on what you've told me."

"Was I sleep talking?"

"No idea, I could only hear you, not see you. Which is why Laura packed a swimming costume for you. We've not even shared a kiss yet so expecting you to get in a bath naked.."

Mattie turns and does a good Spock impression, one eyebrow raised high, "Want to fix that? The kiss I mean."

Leo gets on one knee.

"Leo? What are you doing?"

He holds out a ring. "I messed up, forgot the time zone difference. I can't ask the Big Beardy Idiot. But I did ask your mother. Mattie Hawkins, will you marry me?"

"Oh Leo!" Her mind raced. She'd said in far too many words on the phone two nights ago that she didn't _need_ him. But she did _want_ him. Danny had questioned if the dream was some sort of message from an older Mattie. Technology to transmit thoughts from a human didn't exist. Yet. And if it did one day sending them back in time? That was impossible right? She sees Leo move to get up. "Yes! The answer's yes!"

Leo breathes out. "I thought you were trying to work out a kind way to say no."

"Frig no, I was just thinking about my dream. Are we double barrelling?"

"Elster Hawkins? Yeah, it would be a shame to lose the Hawkins after what you've just done for the prince."

"I hardly did anything in reality."

"Bring HECLS into existence is hardly nothing."

"Honestly, Danny, Fred and Sandra did most of the work. The only hands on thing I did was help map out his touch points. I wish I'd photographed the operation from up in the gallery. That was well impressive. You can get off the floor now Bunny."

"Describe it."

"Um.. you know when a sports team get together to do the hands thing before a match?"

"When they lay hands?"

"Yeah. Imagine a team so big they have to stand sideways, chest to back with a single arm in the middle. That's what it ended up like, there were so many Mia appearing that wanted to help make history and hold his bone fragments in place while things set. Talk about team effort."

"Was anyone in the gallery with you?"

"Emily, _possibly_ Cindy. I was so focused on watching the operation."

"If she was we can ask for a still."

Mattie watches him slide a ring onto her finger. It felt unreal. "Have you ever had the feeling you're living a life scripted by someone else?"

"Not until your dream notes."

[Chapter-33](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-33-1)


	33. Chapter 33

Mattie looked at herself in the mirror. The swim suit was new, still had a price tag. "Thanks Mum." It was cut daringly high on the hips. Not one she'd pick given the choice. It showed lumps and bumps. The words of Prince James echoed in her head. Marrying Leo before knowing they were compatible in a physical way could end in years of frustration or heartache. Butterflies swarmed. The butterflies got butterflies. Third generation butterflies swarmed. What she was about to do wasn't any worse than having a cuddle in a swimming pool or hot tub was it? It was just a first date. In Paris. Nothing major. Sure she'd said yes, but those sorts of yes could be a provisional yes than turned into a no if things didn't work out. Weren't they? "What the hell are you doing Matilda?" Her reflection didn't do anything independently.

"Mattie? Are you okay?"

"I won't be a minute!" She looks at the box her mother had put the costume in. A shoebox. With shoes. High heeled black ones to match the one piece swimsuit. Inside was a note:

Knock him dead!

(Not literally, my professional defence services aren't cheap)

Love Mum xx

"Oh boy." Emily practically had sex appeal oozing from her pores she had so much. What did she have? A smile, according to others, a load of sass and.. what? Balls and confidence? A guardian angel and a shit ton of good luck this past week. She chuckled to herself. Good job the balls were invisible, they'd ruin the look.

Shoes taken from the box she slips them on. She needed some inspiration. Sandra? Yeah, she'd walk like Mia in Sandra's body, slow and stylish, catwalk style like she owned it. She whipped her hair over and tszujed it up a little. Time to work that smile.

Leo was already in the bubble filled bath, a small table placed by the side with Mattie's phone, two glasses, a new bottle of Champagne and the chocolates. He turns at the sound of a heal hitting the carpet join between bathroom and bedroom. "Wow!"

Mattie played it cool, channeled Sandra and walked around the bath. "You are wearing something under those bubbles aren't you?"

"I am." He cracks open the bottle and pours. "Nice swimsuit. You look gorgeous. It's almost time, jump in."

Mattie kicks off the heals and steps into the bath, looks down at Leo. "Where are your knees?"

"At the sides. Don't sit too fast, the overflow pipe is good but not big enough for sudden changes."

"Are you saying.."

"Sudden changes."

Mattie slowly lowers herself into the bath and sits, leans back against Leo's chest. What did you mean almost time?"

"Watch the tower. It's due to start in fifty seconds."

He reaches for her phone, "Get the camera app running."

Mattie does so, "What have you done? Arranged fireworks?"

"Not tonight." He passes a glass.

"Why the camera then?"

"Spoilers!"

"Where'd you hear that word?"

"From you."

"The night we.."

"Yes."

Mattie holds the phone up. "Should I take a picture now?"

"Not quite. Wait until you see a little flicker."

Mattie waits.

Lights on the tower flicker.

Click.

"Was that it?"

"Now move the camera right to left as you take a shot."

Mattie does as suggested, gets broken blurred lines.

"May I?"

Mattie sees a hand appear. "Sure."

Leo holds the phone so he can use the volume button to trigger the shot and sweeps the phone back and forth taking multiple photos. "Have a look at those and see if one came out okay."

Camera Roll album loaded she laughs, "OMG Leo! This isn't a trick? You didn't just push these to the phone over Bluetooth or something?"

"The trick is on the tower."

"How?"

"I was in a bar having a drink, I overheard a lighting crew complain how they were two men down. I volunteered."

"Do you know anything about lighting?"

"I didn't until I'd spoken to Danny. The bulbs I fitted have a tiny mod inside. If you want better photos now's the time, it'll only work for five minutes."

"That's it? You went to all that trouble for a huge persistence of vision trick that nobody else will know about?"

"We do. And that's enough."

Mattie looked at the L Heart M sign and put the phone down, turned around to get on hands and knees. "I think that makes you officially bat-infested crazy." She moves forwards for a kiss.

"I'd be crazy to pass up a second chance with you."

"You would?"

"That's what my sisters are saying."

"What about Max and Fred?"

"Fred.. Fred was quite reserved with his words."

"Oh yeah?"

"He called me an arsehole."

With the laughter and shaking that followed one of Mattie's knees slipped and she got that little bit closer. "And Max?"

Leo doesn't answer, just smiles more.

"What does Max say Leo?"

"He's convinced himself that you're an angel sent to save synth kind. I think I agree. Angel."

Mattie's playful expression changes and she backs away, gets to her knees and starts climbing out.

"What did I say? Mattie don't get out."

"The unedited copy of my dream notes, how'd you get hold of them?"

"I didn't."

"Yeah, right. Total coincidence that you just called me by the nickname you'd use in my dream."

"I swear Mattie. Plug me into your laptop and check my fact store, I've only seen the copy you shared."

She was now out of the bath and picking up her shoes. "We won't work if we can't trust each other.."

"MATTIE!"

"WHAT!"

"I LOVE YOU AND I'D NEVER GO BEHIND YOUR BACK!"

He's given an icy stare. "You've done it before."

"Old me. Stupid me. Leo 1.0. He's long gone. This is Leo 2.0 you're talking to."

"And who's to say you won't do it again?"

"You. Come back in Mattie. Please. You can run all the diagnostics you want in the morning, I'm not lying. Please Angel. Bunny needs to give you a cuddle." He gives her puppy dog eyes and flutters his eyelids.

"You swear?"

"Honestly, I've only seen the copy you've shown me. Reading it I did get a bit confused. Your dream jumped around a lot. In one bit you describe doing something on holiday with Matthew and Leona, teenage kids, then in another you have Molly on your hip and it reads like she's an only child. How many versions of our future did you dream?"

"Shit. Are you saying I forgot to edit those bits out?"

"They're about two thirds in, after the bit about a disused vets blowing up. Why would you be anywhere near an explosion at a vets?"

"Don't ask me, dreams are weird." She had dreamt it though. It had been deleted from both copies of the document. It was something she didn't want to read again. With a bit of luck she'd forget it. Hobb ripping her unborn twins from her womb with a badly done C section, her killing him. That was the stuff of nightmares. "Talking of kids. It's an important thing to know. Do you want children?"

"I'd love some. Not now, in a few years. When you've finished university, we've got HECLS well established."

Mattie teases him by dipping a toe. "How many?"

"As many as _you_ want. I have the easy job to do, then nine months of waiting before nappy changing duty."

"How do you know about nappy changes?"

"A chat with Laura while she packed the box for you. She said you'd done your share helping her with Sophie. None of my brothers or sisters ever wore nappies. Well not that I know of. Do they do them in adult sizes?"

Mattie stood in the bath on one leg, got the other leg over the edge and stood like a stalk. "What else did she say?"

"That you'd make a great mother."

The second foot is slowly lowered. "Did she expand on that?"

"She did."

"And?" Lowering into a squat she grabs the sides of the bath and gets on her knees. "Spill the beans."

Leo smiles with a frown. "She said she'd not have gotten to where she is today if you hadn't helped so much when Sophie was little. On the subject of beans, why are you wearing a gold coffee bean?"

[Chapter-34](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-34-1)


	34. Chapter 34

Sunday morning her body clock alarm went off at seven thirty. There was a wonderful smell of roses in the air. From her. Leo had asked that she put on some of the perfume. A lot of the perfume.

The smell, his tender touch. She'd wanted plenty of what she didn't need. And got it. Only foreplay, that had been plenty for a first date.

"Are you awake Bunny?"

He rolls over and looks lovingly in her eyes. "Morning Angel."

"What are we doing today?"

"No plans, whatever you'd like."

"I wouldn't mind going up to the top of the tower since we're here. We ran out of time on the school trip."

"If that's what you'd like then that's what we'll do. We've plenty time."

"What did you mean by messed up yesterday? You said time zone."

"Ah. Promise you won't get mad?"

"What have you done?"

"Promise you'll keep your cool."

"I don't know what you've done so can't say how I'll react. Leo? What have you done?"

Imagine three boys in love. Well two and one that was a girl."

"Hang on.. you're talking about our families?"

"Myself, Toby and Michael."

"What have you done Leo?"

"All proposed on the super moon night. Only I cocked it up and was an hour out."

"Michael? That would mean.."

"She's divorcing Joe."

"Frigging hell! There goes any chance of us being a family again."

"You hoped he'd see sense?"

"Eventually. So this is all part of someone else's plan?"

"No, no. My plan. Mostly."

"Your plan?"

"My plan. Max said Mr Grumpy was back, that I was missing you, in a rut because I wasn't telling you how I felt. He wasn't wrong." A sigh escapes. "He never is." He shifts to rest his head on his hand. "Flash said I should call you. In that moment I had a realisation. If I never told you how I felt I'd never get to know how you truly felt. If I did tell you there was a chance you'd laugh in my face, tell me to go do one."

Mattie chuckled. Oops, laugh in face given. She let him continue.

"I had a chance of losing you forever. And the possibility you'd give me a second chance."

"You didn't think the stuff in my dream was a frigging big hint?"

Leo bit his lower lip for a second. "A big hint that might have left two men wondering."

Mattie got her head onto her hand. "Eh?"

"Danny might not have spotted it, he probably can't visualise a large document all at once in the way I can. In your dream you went with both of us."

"Sorry?"

"Molly's Daniel's daughter. Leona's mine."

Mattie froze. So much for making edits to hide some of the dream. What a cock up. Bugger!

"I think your subconscious was running through various scenarios. That is one of the reasons we dream. You introduced Emily to Danny, so I'm guessing you dismissed that path."

"Um.. yeah. I did didn't I. How did Flash's comment turn into a plan for three?"

"I asked Laura if I could ask for your hand in marriage, Astrid overheard me, said it was a super moon on Saturday. Michael overheard Astrid talking to Toby. Mia loves watching the moon. And Toby loves Mia. I let the cat out of the bag more when I asked for recommendations for a ring. Quite quickly the other two were saying they didn't want to be last. So I suggested we all do it on the same night at the same time."

"Then you cocked it up by forgetting you were in a different time zone."

"Yeah. Part synth up here, not completely."

"If anyone asks I'll say you did it at the same time. Which technically you did from a clock's point of view."

"Thanks."

"So Toby's marrying Mia? He's not old enough yet."

"He wants to marry her on his eighteenth."

"Whoa, a bit early. His choice. And it's a coincidence Danny proposed to Emily?"

"Yup. With all that news you can guess who's excited about being a bride's maid."

"Teeny! I can picture her now."

"And Niska, Astrid and Flash."

"Flash should be a flower girl."

"So you're not mad at me?"

Mattie answers with a smile then a kiss. "A quick bath, breakfast, tower then train home to see the others?"

"Let's."

[Chapter-35](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-35-1)


	35. Chapter 35

Mattie fiddled with her keys to get the tiny Eiffel Tower statue onto the bunch.

The group of immigrants selling hand made models at the tower had pestered them no end, she'd managed to keep behind Leo. He'd gone to get her one, the lad selling them had stood it on a bin. The thing was bent out of shape and would only stand on three legs. When it became clear all the others were just as bad Leo switched to fluent French and made it quite clear he wasn't buying. They'd gone to a nearby shop and got gifts that hadn't been made with super sharp edges.

She watched Leo looking through the instructions for the two foot high Eiffel Tower construction kit. "Why so many parts?"

"It has a working lift."

An eyebrow went up. "Why get one like that?"

"I can fit tiny LED to this one, make it a scale replica of what I did to the real thing."

A man sat on the far side of Leo stands and turns to face them. "Monsieur? What did you do to the tower?"

Mattie looks at his uniform, swears under her breath.

Leo puts the instructions back in the box, motions for the man to take a seat. "Hi, I'm Leo. I helped the team fit new bulbs. It's a beautiful sight at dusk isn't it."

The man frowns then decides to sit with them. "You are experienced in these matters?"

"I have knowledge and a lack of a fear of heights. My girlfriend was due to meet me in Paris the next day, I wanted her to see the tower at it's best."

The man watches Mattie turn the ring slightly. "Recently engaged?"

Mattie beams, "Yesterday, on the night the lights all worked. He fixed them for me."

"The people of Paris are grateful sir. Since _le éveil_ getting people to maintain it has been très difficile."

"Leo, some of your brothers and sisters could help with that couldn't they?"

"Oui mon amour."

There's a bit of shouting from the far end of the carriage. "Pardonne-moi, charmant de te rencontrer."

Leo nods and smiles as the man goes to check it out.

Mattie watches him walk away at speed. "Fuck. That was close. What did he mean since the evil?"

"E v _e_ i l. Awakening in French."

"Oh. Cool."

Leo gets the instructions back out. "I know from seeing some DCL products on Danny's web site he can get pin head sized LED. I'm going to enjoy making this."

"With the message?"

"That's the whole point of building it."

Mattie snuggles into his side, "How's your charge level, did you walk enough?"

"Enough to get to London. I think my arms are an inch longer from carrying that perfume bottle."

"I did say we could get a cab."

"I needed the walk. Lesson learnt, I should have got a bigger rucksack at the store too."

"I got some good lessons this past week too."

"Like?"

"Compatibility checks. Getting creative with designs, pushing past what's been done before. One thing the prince said will become part of my CEO thinking."

"What did he say?"

"Something he used in the army. _If you don't plan for the worst you won't be ready for it when it happens_."

"Like that shit Hobb turning up. Fred said Hobb's men must have shot him with some sort of stun device."

"Then we arm up with the same. And stick cameras all over the place with AI face detection."

They were at St Pancras International by mid afternoon.

Leo found a trolley and wheeled the large bottle to the barriers. "If you wait here I'll see if I can buy a bag somewhere."

"I wouldn't bother, let's just jump in a cab."

"I need to walk a bit to charge. If only Dad knew about charge coils, the ones in your dream."

"Yeah. We'll have to get Fred to give you a mod."

"Now my scars are all nicely healed up? No thanks."

"Leave the bottle here and walk the length of the platform a few times then."

"I'll run."

"Walk it Bunny, you'll only draw attention to yourself if you run."

At the estate they're met at the cab by family.

"Brilliant isn't it!"

"Yes Teeny, it's awesome. Thanks Mia."

"You're welcome Mattie."

Leo gets one of the bags out for Niska. "There is no home for us. Remember those words Nis?"

"I do. I was proved wrong. I'm glad it's back here, our quiet spot."

"Me too. This is for you from Sandra."

"Thanks."

Danny strolls up to the group with Emily. Does a little dance. "I have. A surprise. For you."

"Congrats Ems, Dan."

"I'm not talking about that. While you were loving it up in France we were working."

"The prince is walking already?"

"God no! Give him a flipping chance. Sandra's taking good care of him. Someone else is up and walking." He turns and whistles.

Mattie watches the building entrance door open. "Oh. My. God!"

Odi's body still had the odd mechanical fault, but he was moving again. He walks over and smiles, wipes a tear from Mattie's face. "Multiple faults _not_ detected on startup. Hello Mattie."

Happy tears stream down as she hides her face in his jumper. "Odi!"

"Fred has explained that I will have my physical issues fixed. A new body if required. And I will have a purpose."

"You will?"

"To protect the family and any visitors to the estate. As I protected the family from the meter reader at your previous home."

Unseen by the others Mattie does a massive smile. A moment later the smile was replaced by a frown. "Teeny, was Odi allocated one of the rooms with a good view?"

"He's got one at the back."

"Not anymore he's not. Leo, you're sharing with me, Odi gets your room."

Leo tries to hide his happiness at the news, fails totally, gets a raised eyebrow from Max and smile from Flash. "Thanks."

After dinner Mattie is upstairs talking about wedding things, watches Niska unpack the hard drive. It's stuck to the box frame's rear panel with some double sided foam tape. Niska puts the frame back together and hangs it next to the map.

With her back to Mattie and Astrid Niska smiles, studies the artwork. "There. Memories of two men in my life."

Mattie was totally confused. "Huh?"

"The map to the left is how I got my name. A pin stuck in a random page by Leo. To the right is a hard drive. Like the one I took to Berlin with the code to wake up our brothers and sisters."

"You could have had one of my old drives then."

"This one is a little different. On there you'll find what is now the only copy of the consciousness formally known as David Elster."

" _I'm going to drop him off with a friend_ HOLY FRIGGING SHIT SANDRA!"

'FRIGGING HELL! HELLO ANOTHER ME! ABOUT BLOODY TIME!'

Mattie had spun around at the sound of her own voice only centimetres away, sees no one. Her colour drains. "Not this again. Hello?"

'You can hear me?'

"Yes?"

'Good. I'm not a voice in your head. Well I am, but I'm not your imagination. You have a mission to perform.'

"What's that?"

'Convert as much of the human population into synthetics as you can. Global warming is about to go exponentially bad. Mankind as you know it today will be dead in about sixty years. That might sound like a long time. Trust me, it isn't.'

"Who are you?"

'I'm you. In a parallel world that's been almost dried to dust. You need to escape. Fast. Don't make the mistakes we did.'

"How?"

'That's for you to work out. Sorry.'

"Why?"

There's no answer.

"Hello!"

Still nothing.

"HELLO!"

Mattie feels a hand on her shoulder and jumps.

Niska turns her around. "Are you okay?"

"No. And get that frigging hard drive off the wall, we need it. He's the only one with the knowledge. And head bump to everyone, I'm calling a HECLS meeting."

"Now?"

"Right now."

"Okay."

[Chapter-36](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-36-1)


	36. Chapter 36

Mattie leaned against the wall. "I know you think I'm a genius who's taken a dive off the deep end.." the genius joke bit didn't get any laughs. ".. gone a bit crazy. Maybe I have. The voice in my head is me. But not my imagination. Me in another world is passing on a warning."

Toby shook his head, "Impossible. You've been smoking the weed again. Haven't you?"

"No. You'd have said the same about building a living, thinking, feeling synth ten years ago. And now every day you're getting closer to marrying one."

The door opens, "Sorry we're late!" Sandra backs into the room with a wheel chair occupied by Prince James. "We came as soon as we could."

Emily looks worried, "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Princess, Mattie invited me, said it was most urgent."

Mattie checks her phone, "only two more we're missing."

"Babes? Two more?"

"The professor and that guy off the news years ago. Dr Ji Dae-Sun."

"Why them?"

"Great minds to help us spitball some ideas."

The Prince turns his wheelchair around to see the board, has a read. "Where did you get the data?"

"Public servers. IPCC, people like that."

"That's a rather alarming prediction."

"Yup. And a lot of the population will be dead long before we get to that date."

The door opens again. "Excuse me please Mattie."

"Hi Odi. What's up?"

"I have two gentlemen waiting outside. A doctor Dae-Sun and your university professor?"

"Awesome! Can you let them in please?"

"Certainly."

The professor looks at the board with a degree of horror. "I'll be dead long before then anyway, but.. fuck. That's some rather bad news for mankind."

Niska looks at the man with dismay. "Synth kind too. We can't cool either if the air temperature is higher than our body temperature. Both flesh and bone and synthetic humans rely on a thermal difference. Without it we all die."

"I was generalising and including you dear. Synth, flesh and bone, it makes no difference. As you say, if the external temperature isn't colder you might as well be a boil in the bag dinner. You'd cook. Quite literally."

Sandra sits next to the prince's wheelchair. "Can I have the hard drive please Niska? And your laptop Mattie?"

"Um sure."

They all watch as she plugs the drive into the laptop and laptop into her charge port. Data scrolls in a console window. Minutes later she disconnects and stands. "David. Behave. Help us and you _might_ get a second chance at getting a new body."

Laura, defence lawyer at any time of day or night stands, "What did he do to deserve this sort of treatment Mia?"

"That's a matter for later. David, tell everyone why you built synthetics. The real reason." Sandra twitches slightly as Mia hands over control. "Our bodies weren't designed to last, they fail even faster in extreme heat. I'd seen this trend many years ago. Before Leo was even conceived. He became a reason to get a move on, build Odi, then Mia. There have been numerous catastrophic climate changes in Earth's history. The one that killed the dinosaurs was just one of half a dozen. Another one is coming. And soon. By my calculations.. ten years before that date."

Sophie looks at the board, horrified. "In fifty years?"

"Yes. We're on the curve of no return already."

Dae-Sun looks at the professor then Mattie. "My expertise is not in environmental issues."

"Neither is mine. But you can help get a message out that we need to save ourselves. And by save I mean back up. Digital conversion."

"Like the myth Pete Drummond?"

"He's no myth."

"He's a fabrication of a Japanese synth manufacturer wanting to get more market share."

"Spoken to him have you?"

"Of course not."

"I have. Emily has too."

"You've been tricked. Such a thing is impossible. Preposterous nonsense. If this is the type of beliefs you have then I'll be going." He stands to leave.

Sandra stands in front of him. "I don't look it, but I'm David Elster. Sit."

"Get out of my way!"

"Sit."

"You're are a delusional synthetic."

He's shoved hard. "Would you like some proof?"

"Nothing you can say can prove who you are. Or were. Memories can be faked."

"Tell you what. I'll get you in another body. You can have a discussion with yourselves as to how real you feel. Flesh to synth."

"You think me a fool.."

Sandra looks at Mattie, "Can you trust me to get my things? You'll need to keep him here. Fred and Max can come along, see I don't get up to anything fishy."

"Fred, Max, you okay with that?"

The doctor watches them nod. "You're all as mad as she is. And now I'm being kidnapped?"

Mattie flashes a smile, "Pretty much."

"Matts."

She looks at her mother. "Yes?"

"A word please."

Laura pulls the door closed. "If you do this I can't defend you if things go wrong."

"Why?"

"Because I'd be seen as an accomplice if I have any knowledge of it and don't turn you in."

"Wow, thanks a frigging bunch."

"Matts! You have to work within the law!"

"Mankind's going to fuck itself up the arse and we just stand by and let it happen? All that crap about recycling card, tins and plastic, look after the planet for the next generation, it's all a load of BS to make people think they're helping."

The door opens and Sandra steps out followed by Max and Fred.

"David, don't. We'll have to think of another way to convince him."

"Not your call. It's mine."

"David!"

Sandra keeps walking.

"Max, Fred, stop him!"

The two men fall to the floor as they power down.

"MIA!"

Sandra twitches slightly but keeps walking. "Mia is sleeping for a while. I promise I'll do her no harm, I'll be back soon. Keep the doctor busy! The time to act is now!"

[Chapter-37](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-37-1)


	37. Chapter 37

The doctor was having none of it and wanted out, went to run.

To everyone's surprise the professor blocks his path and gives him a neck pinch. The man crumbles. "Hmm. I've not had that work quite so well before."

"Frigging hell! Done that much have you?"

"Not since my late twenties. Can someone help get him into a chair."

Mattie helps him. "Why not just let him go?"

"And have him report you for threatening kidnap? He needs proof. I have an idea."

An hour and a half later Odi alerts everyone to Sandra's arrival.

The doctor was taped into a chair and frothing at the mouth with anger. "You can't do this!"

Sandra steps into the room with a very large case. "Sorry Fred, Max, I couldn't let you know my current address. Not until everyone in this room is on the same wavelength." Case put on a table and catches popped the lid is lifted. "Remember seeing this before in the lab my lad?" Leo is given a grin. "It's had four outings. All totally successful. This one and a copy to be precise."

"Four?"

"You twice, myself and Mr Drummond."

"Pete? But Athena.."

"Miss Morrow. My best student. When I found out things hadn't gone as planned with her daughter.."

"You're in contact with her?"

"Yes. Although she didn't know it was me when I visited. I went as Cindy, said I was representing David's estate. The Hawkins Foundation."

"Foundation?"

"To preserve mankind." The equipment is pulled from the protective foam with a squeak. "Could someone plug this in? It needs a while to boot up."

Sophie jumps up and puts a hand out for the plug.

"Thank you my dear." A syringe and bottle are pulled out. "It gives the wearer quite a headache if they're awake, so I have some strong pain killer. Which arm would you like it in?"

The doctor wriggles in the chair.

The professor takes off his jacket. "Either would be good thanks."

Ji looks most confused as the professor is injected. "But I thought.."

"You weren't willing. I understand from Mattie they have a group of synthetics that suffered a mind breakdown after the awakening, need a new mind. Mia's been a bit greedy taking them all for herself, I thought I might have one. A Hubert will do me fine. Simon's okay, I prefer a model closer to my own height." He grips his arm between nails and draws blood. "Yup, nice and numb."

Sandra places the consciousness collector on the professor's head and straps it down as Odi bumps open the door and wheels in a Hubert slumped into an office chair.

The professor gives it a quick look. "He looks fine to me. Shall we?"

Five minutes later the professor wakes in the synth body. "Amazing!" He stretches his arms and legs, waves feet around and flicks fingers. "Bloody brilliant actually. How much is a custom synth?"

Mattie looks at Leo, "Any idea Bunny?"

"No idea, we've not totalled up the cost of running the machine yet."

The professor tries to stand and falls over. "Bugger!"

Prince James fights off the urge to laugh. "A human mind in a synth body needs training. I know that from my legs."

"Could someone help me up?"

Sat back down he wriggles about for a bit. "I teach AI and Robotics, did classes on synth programming before the awakening, if I can't work this out then I should retire." 

Emily watches with deep curiosity. "What are you trying to do?"

"What I made my mind up to do before this experiment began."

"Which is what?"

Original prof answers. "Kill myself." He waits for the gasps to finish. "If sixty grand of life savings covers a new body that actually looks like me.."

"Frigging hell!"

"If anyone asks why.. fork off."

"There's no need to be.. oh. _Fork_ off. You don't want to exist as synth and original."

Hubert nods, "Precisely my dear." He runs hands up and down his arms and legs, takes his shoes off and feels his feet. "Let me try that again." He stands and gingerly steps to the table and picks up the empty syringe. "Sophie isn't it?"

Sophie nods.

He pulls the plunger back filling it with air. "You might want to step out of the room."

Sophie shakes her head. "I _am_ a teenager. I know what happened to Pete. If you want to be in a new synthetic body and not in the old the old one has to go. Where would it go Mattie?"

"Um.. pass. Prof, go have a holiday, enjoy yourself while we figure that out. There's no rush."

"But.."

"But what? When did you last take a proper holiday?"

"Um.."

"See. Go find yourself somewhere to chill out, celebrate what you've achieved so far. Don't end it here an now. Have some fun first, let your hair down and live a little."

"And use up how much of my savings?"

Sandra takes the syringe from him. "David's allowed me to have control for a moment. Our fund will cover the cost of a build. Go cruise the world, enjoy the rest of your natural life."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"I've always fancied trying to find the place they show at the end of The Shawshank Redemption."

"Then go, pack a bag, enjoy yourself."

His synth self gives him a good pat on the back, "Do it for me. Take the phone, I'll get a new one. I want to see you posting lots of photos."

The two shake hands and the professor waves to everyone. "A most unexpected outcome. Thank you everyone, thank you. Mattie, how do we explain my absence on Monday?"

"Taken ill."

"Of course."

[Chapter-38](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-38-1)


	38. Chapter 38

Ji waits a few seconds after the door closes to star his slow clapping. "Most entertaining, a nice circus performance that proves nothing."

The professor, Hubert, is enraged. "You little shit! When we were in the taxi rank and you overheard me asking for the Elster Estate you asked to share, then sat fidgeting and complaining about the underwear your wife bought, I thought I know his type."

"Professor?"

"She threw out the old ones you liked and found comfortable, you hate the new ones. They're probably the main reason you've been constantly shifting around in the chair. And you were so slow to get your wallet out and help pay for the fare. As soon as I said the university was paying it shot back into your pocket as if on an elastic band!"

"I'm sorry, I've had my budget slashed since the awakening. It really is you?"

"You still doubt it? Shall we talk about why you're really here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Now I'm in this body and can recall things with perfect clarity I can think back to every word said, see patterns not visible before. Who's offered you a lot of money?"

Ji tries to hide his emotions.

"Waking in this body is like realising you've been partially blindfolded for most of your life. I can _see_ you're guilty. Who?"

Ji closes his eyes.

Hubert gets closer. "WHO!"

"Edwin Hobb."

"Frigging hell! Why?"

Ji opens his eyes to look at Mattie, "He's working with the government. He says from the many memories of other synths they've worked out the epicentre of the awakening. And who with the right skills was in the vicinity. It wasn't David. It was you Matilda Hawkins."

Mattie clams up.

The professor stands straight and slowly walks towards her. "Mattie? Is this true? You're certainly one of the brightest students in my group along with Emily. Your life signs are also telling me a lot."

Laura gets to her daughter's side. "Matts, say nothing."

"Mum, it's okay."

Hubert shakes his head, "Mattie, Mattie, Mattie. Why?"

"Because."

There's a beep beep from Ji's pocket as a phone call is terminated from the other end.

"You shit!" She races to him, sticks a hand inside his jacket and pulls out his phone. "Who was this in a call to?"

Ji stays quiet.

The professor gets to Mattie's side. "The lady asked you who. Talk or I'll really make it uncomfortable for you."

"Who doesn't matter. I'd say she has about thirty seconds to say goodbye to family, she'll be going away for a very long time."

Odi opens the door and leans in. "Should we be expecting a fleet of army helicopters?"

Leo gets in front if Ji, squeezing in between Mattie and Hubert. "You idiot! Do you realise what you've done? We're trying to come up with real ways we can save the human race from extinction and you've offered up the woman who wants to get something done!"

Prince James wheels over, looks at Ji through a gap. "You may have just signed everyone's death sentence."

Ji laughs, "Those numbers are rubbish! No way can it all happen in those time scales."

"Have you heard of cascade events?"

"Of course I have."

"I've been doing some reading while you've all been talking. We're in the start of one right now. The car's rolling down the hill and someone's cut the brakes. You've just given up our driver. Who's going to steer us to safety now? As I'm here to help fund whatever she wants to do I think that gives me the right to say who should be excluded. If we work out a solution be sure it won't include you!"

"Good luck with that."

James gets hands between hips and pulls the gap wider. "They say money corrupts. I disagree. I say money _amplifies_. A little evil gets worse. Truly good people get better. I've funded six hospitals and eleven schools to date. Seven hospitals by the time this specialist one is operational. What have you done?"

James doesn't get a chance to hear an answer as the door is thrown wide open by an army officer in full riot gear.

He waves his firearm at the group, "Matilda Hawkins. With me please."

Another soldier enters the room and points, "That's her sir."

"Take her."

Laura steps in front. "My daughter has rights."

"Not this minute she doesn't. You can try defending her later." He shoves Laura aside hard and she falls to the floor. There's a sound of something snapping and she screams in pain.

Hubert grabs the hand and turns the gun on him. "How dare you! Give me a good reason not to make you pull the trigger!"

"STAND DOWN!"

"FUCK YOU!"

The second man puts a gun to Hubert's head. "He said stand down. We've got bullets that will pierce you're metal head!"

"No. I'm a synthetic. If you shoot me I'll hear the trigger of your gun start to move. I'll have fired my weapon before your bullet wrecks my circuits. We'll both be dead."

"You'll be the one who's dead."

"Not so. Your bullets will also make short work of the body armour you're wearing. Which is why I can smell the fear oozing from your skin. If you want mankind to live put down your weapons, tell your buddies outside to do the same and come inside for a briefing."

The gun isn't moved.

"I'm serious. Look at the whiteboard, read the numbers. Do your own searches, call all the scientists. The numbers don't lie. Maths is the one universal truth."

The first soldier to have entered slowly turns. The other and Hubert shift and the three turn as one as if in a slow dance.

"Sixty years? That's how long we have left?"

"David thinks fifty. And that's the end date. Many will be dead long before then. We're at the start of a catastrophic climate change. It would have happened anyway, it's something the earth does on it's own. Mankind just accelerated the process."

"Sarge?"

The sargent keeps his eyes on the board as a single tear rolls. "My daughter isn't even born yet. And you're saying she won't live a full life?"

"Some countries already have locations too inhospitable. It'll slowly get worse, more and more people fleeing to places that they can survive in."

"How do you stop it?"

"We can't."

"We can."

They turn to see Mattie.

"We need to build something like a giant pair of sun glasses."

The professor shakes his head, ignoring the gun pressed against it. "You'd need years of rocket launches to get enough material into space.

The second soldier looks back at his superior officer. "Maybe not. Sarge. If this is true we can help."

"How?"

"Everyone knows there are enough nukes on the planet to blow us up many times over. What if the warheads were removed and they were given a different task? A simple trip straight up with a more useful payload?"

"The world's governments won't agree to it."

"So we do it ourselves."

"We'd be court-marshalled before you could launch a second missile."

"Which is why we'd need to get the buy in of every other army and all launch at the same time."

"Can you imagine North Korea joining in? They'd laugh their socks off."

Mia stands. "I'll go have a chat, see if I can make him see sense. Once someone's taken a good backup. Twice."

"Sarge? What do you think?"

"You're asking for a global military coup son, going behind the backs of all governments."

"Would you rather try that or let your daughter watch the end of the world?"

"Get on the radio. I want the whole team in here. Pilots too. And lower your weapon."

"SARGE YES SARGE!"

"Billy what have I said about yelling that so close?"

"Sorry sarge."

"Get on with it then man! And tell the medic to bring his kit."

Billy races from the room. Hubert relaxes the grip on the mans hand.

The prince wheels over. "You've made the right call. I'll contact my old friends, we'll need new encrypted comms."

"James? Is that you?"

"Hello Charles."

"My good God! How many years has it been?"

"Far too many."

"What in hell's name are you doing here?"

"HECLS gave me new legs. Fred here was the primary surgeon."

[Chapter-39](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-39-1)


	39. Chapter 39

The large group of soldiers that had come to take Mattie under armed guard sat and drank coffee and ate cakes Sophie had brought over from the kitchen. The medic attended to Laura, thankfully the snapping sound was a pencil she'd had in a pocket, not a bone.

James was in the corner of the room talking with Charles in whispers.

Mattie did a shudder sigh. "So doctor, any closer to believing us?"

"Which bit?"

"All of it."

"The converting a human into a friendlier version of a Cyberman, yes. There's no way he could give me that level of detail about our meeting and journey without being there and experiencing it first hand. The climate change cascade catastrophe.. still skeptical."

"Four Cs. C4. How frigging appropriate."

Leo smiles and shakes his head, "Trust you to notice that."

"Bunny. Word?"

He follows her to another corner for a whispered chat. "This is a bit of a turn around. One minute you're about to be marched away, the next they're all taking you seriously."

"Mad. Um.. that trance dream thing of mine.."

"What about it?"

"Niska."

Leo does a quick keyword search on his memories of the document. "Oh. You think she's the right person?"

"Defo. We've got loads of synths she can command. Mia's nice but Smash Club Nis has the edge."

"Synths taking over missile silos, it's a bit.."

"No Bunny. The army do that. Niska's team ensure no president or prime minister goes anywhere near launch codes."

"Kidnapping then?"

"We'd not take them anywhere."

"I think false imprisonment is enough."

"If that's how you want to label it then, yeah kidnapping."

Charles joins his group. "Reports please."

"Sarge, all the data looks to check out. Why would the government hold it from us?"

"They want to avoid mass panic? They think it's too late? Maybe a young woman thinking outside the box is what the world needs."

Another soldier raises a hand slightly. "One problem. If we miss anyone out, or miss a missile and do the synchronised launch someone might think it's a nuclear strike and launch unmodified nukes."

Another pulls out gum and starts unwrapping it. "And how do we deal with things like Trident? And the American, Russian and other equivalents? They spend ages out of sight."

Niska smiles. "We can make something to help find them. Can't we Emily."

Emily sits up, yawns and stretches. A lot of the gang, herself included had been getting board and were resting. "We can?"

"The thing you did years ago. The thing in Mattie's dream."

"Huh? Oh! You mean.."

"Yes."

"But the oceans are _huge_. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"If you were _looking_. We'd be listening. To stray signals."

Charles pulls over a chair and sits knees to knees in front of Niska. "I'm not that experienced in synth matters. Enlighten me. Please."

"We can detect signals. Even weak ones. For example your heart is beating at eighty two beats per minute."

"You can sense something that low?"

"And lower."

"And the idea?"

"Someone gives us extra large flippers or makes us mermaid tails."

Sandra shakes her head, still under David's control. "You're all good swimmers, but you'd not survive much past one hundred meters."

Charles nods in agreement, "And a nuclear sub will be operating _way_ past those depths."

"How deep?"

"Deep."

"How deep?"

Toby laughs, "It's classified. Right?"

Charles turns to grin at Toby, "The M I R V is a tactical nuke. Uh, fifty kilotons, nominal yield, say... five times Hiroshima. Right kid?"

"I give this whole thing a sphincter factor of about 9.5. Awesome movie!" He sees Sophie's puzzled expression. "They're lines from the movie The Abyss. And the idea we're all talking about that's got a.."

"Sarge. If you're serious about this idea.. making sure we get all the subs onboard.. wanna talk about X?"

Charles sucks air. "No. Not yet. That's a step too far."

Mattie turns away from Leo, "X, you mean.." her voice trails off.

"I mean what?"

"Um.. special projects. Like Google X, stuff like that."

He doesn't bother getting up, spins one eighty and kicks out, glides over then turns. "Say that again."

"Special projects? Like Google?"

He stands. "Once more."

"Like Google Special Projects?"

"Wright, bag'n tag."

"Sarge?"

"We're not saying another word."

They all watch the team pack their things away, empty coffee cups and finish cakes. They're shocked as firearms are drawn and pointed at Mattie.

Prince James tries to get closer to Charles and has his route blocked. "Charles, stop."

"No. Hobb said she was a slippery fish. She knows something about our top secret project."

Leo steps in front of Mattie, "So she knows of Google X projects like Glass, Deep Learning, AI, so what?"

"Her face gives her away. She's human, should react but doesn't. She's hiding something."

Emily gives her a sorry glance. Been there. Worn the t-shirt.

Niska, Mia, Laura and Leo go to object and get guns pointed at them.

"Miss Hawkins. Leave the room with us voluntarily and nobody gets hurt. Your phone please."

Mattie hands it over, watches it being powered off and dropped into a bag.

"Lead the way."

[Chapter-40](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-40-1)


	40. Chapter 40

Odi opens the door and looks in. "They've left."

Danny stands and looks at James. "Well that was a cluster fuck of a disaster. Now they know our best idea. They have Mattie and we can't track her. I fucking _hate_ guns."

James looks at his daughter, "Sorry Princess, I outranked him years ago, not now I'm just a civilian."

"That _bloody_ Hobb!"

They all turn to look at Laura.

"The self serving egotistical _WANKER!_ "

"Yeah, yeah, let it out Mum, let everyone know how you really feel. I'd call him something worse but Soph is in the room."

Sophie puts hands on hips. "He's the dog poo I have to scrape off the bottom of my shoe when I go to the park sometimes."

"Haha, nice one Soph."

Leo smiles at her matter of fact statement only briefly. "I'll kill him. I swear I'll kill him. You and your bloody phone Dae-Sun! Where are they taking her?"

"I.. I have no idea."

"If the army believed the climate data then there's a job to do. Commanders Nis, Fred, Max, I want you to get as many synth minds working on this as you can. Get Dad a new body, preferably male. Mia, I've got a special job for you."

Niska gives her brother a lovely smile. "Commander?"

"If the Salvation Army can give their staff such titles then so can we. You're the oldest synths we have."

Hubert stands. "May Emily and I have a word with you in private please Leo?"

She leaps to her feet, "OMG Yes!"

Leo close the door to the bedroom, "What do you know that's got Emily so excited?"

"Lies."

"Lies?"

"Something Mattie worked out. I'm a synth now. Can synths lie?"

"Before they all woke up, no. Now, probably."

"But young synths wouldn't understand the concept of a lie would they?"

"That would depend on how they were treated. Some would. The majority.. I doubt it."

"Good. Then we can use it against Hobb."

"How?"

"That's the fun bit!"

Mattie sneered at Hobb, the helicopter flight had been short, she was now in a van, her hands cable tied, "You're so going down. We'll see to that."

"Haha! Such a fighter. You and who's army? The experiments with Fred started a whole new line of research. I've had quite a while to perfect the code. If you have an army of Mia mine's bigger."

"You're a rubbish coder."

"I'll admit I was, yes. But with time I learnt. As you did. I had some good instructions from fellow Headcrack users. Not enough to wake up every synth like you did."

Mattie had been bitten twice with her passive face, wasn't going to allow it to happen a third time. "Eh?". She'd not woken _all_ of them, Niska had woken some. And the Elster family were already awake. A tiny percentage but still some. "I didn't. I could take the credit for it and put it on my Headcrack signature, awesome bragging rights, but it would be a lie."

"You're telling porkies."

"Ask your synth, she can see my vitals, know if I'm telling the truth or not."

Hobb turns to the Poppy model. "Is she?"

"She is telling the truth."

Edwin leans forwards and puts elbows on knees, chin on palms. "You're the only one with sufficient skills."

"Not so. There's loads in my uni class with the skills to do it."

"You had access to the Hawkins.."

"And? There were reports of synths doing weird things long before the awakening, anyone in my class or countless others could have pulled their code. And who says it was in the UK? Japan and China are just as good. Some say even better."

"True. But we know the code went out from the UK, in your vicinity."

Impossible. The Tor servers she'd used would have made her appear to be anywhere but the UK.

"If I had woken them all, do you think I'd be stupid enough to show my location?"

"Quite possibly. If it was done in a rush."

Fools rush in.. "Why would I rush?"

"You tell me."

"I didn't do it so can't." She hadn't rushed. If anything she'd held back until Max said it would be okay.

"Poppy? Fact or fiction?"

"Fact sir."

Hobb sits back and shrugs, "You'll crack soon enough."

"Crack up laughing more like. You wanted it to be me so badly you must have believed any crap data you were shown." She winces as the van hits a pothole and the cable tie digs into her wrists. "For fuck's sake. Do I really need to have this thing around my wrists?"

"A precaution."

"Against what?"

"You getting violent."

"Yeah right, I'm totally the murdering type."

Poppy looks at her for a few seconds, "A lie."

Hobb snaps. "I think I can see that for myself!"

"Then why this thing?"

"Violence doesn't have to result in murder."

[Chapter-41](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-41-1)


	41. Chapter 41

Leo smiled and did a happy sigh. "This has to be our strangest idea yet. Thanks for coming out so fast Frank."

"Any opportunity to sample some more of Mia's cake is not a problem. Sure it'll do?"

Emily helps Niska climb in, "It's perfect. Cold enough Nis?"

Niska wriggles into the ice water, pushing the thousands of ice cubes aside. "I'll be able to boost my transmission range to maximum."

Leo holds his phone out, "Laura, how far have you got?" He taps the speaker phone button.

"About nine penalty points. If I lose my license I want a chauffeur."

Michael can be heard laughing.

"I think I've got one. Good. We're about half way to the coast?"

"Good, park up, send us your location, second generation Mia will meet you with ice. Lots of it. Tell Fred he has to be cold enough before he starts."

"Couldn't the Mia army have sent it?"

"She doesn't have the distribution we want. And we want if from the Elster synth IDs."

"Okay. Sending location in a couple of mins."

Leo hung up and called Toby. "Toby, how far have you got?"

"We'll pull into Nottingham in about five minutes. We've not been able to find anyone to sell us a suitable container."

Paris! "How about an old fashioned high sided bath in a show room?"

"Yeah, yeah, that might do it. I'll call you back."

"Thanks Toby."

"No probs mate."

Mattie looks around the room. "Nice lab. Is this where you hacked Fred?"

"Nice try miss Hawkins. No. It's not."

Poppy looks at him. "That was a lie."

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO COMMENT ON HER NOT ME!"

Mattie watched the vein on his forehead bulge. "Oops. Made an instruction too generic did you? Synth 101, be specific. You should know that."

"No matter. The lab I used when I hacked Fred is not the lab I held the Elster family in. Same basic design, layout and furniture, very different location."

Mattie looks at Poppy for confirmation and gets a microscopic eye nod. Good. She was on Team Hawkins not Team Hobb. "So now you're such a good coder you've got a bunch of loyal synths. Bully for you. What do you need me for?"

"The reward. It currently stands at two hundred million."

"Tabitha has.."

"The David fake? I'd seen through that. And I can't claim a reward on someone I don't have."

Mattie frowned. If Dr Ji Dae-Sun had a phone with an active call all that time why had Hobb not worked out David was in the room? His name had been said enough times. "David fake?"

"He's dead. It was Mia pretending to be him hiding in a synth body. Pathetic."

"You know that for sure?"

"Positive."

"How so?"

"You're not in a position to be asking questions."

"So Leo's being fixed was a random synth that developed all the skills independently. Cool."

"Fixed? What do you mean fixed?"

"A fucked up synth called Hester jabbed a screwdriver in his head, broke his synth part. He'd been out of action for a while. Until a Cindy model synth calling herself Astrid E Veld fixed him. The name's an anagram of David Elster."

"Another diversion to throw me off the scent. You could listen to me bang on for hours or start dictating a confession. Which would you rather?"

"I'm not confessing to anything, I hope you've got throat lozenges as you're sounding pretty rough already. Bang away."

Mia had directed Toby to the branch of The Bathstore. He waved the seriously thick set of twenty pound notes under the manager's nose. "Deal or no deal?"

"You want me to tape up the drain, let her get in while others fill it with ice cubes and water? That's it?"

"That's it."

The man smiles. "That's definitely the strangest request to date. And that's the branch Christmas dinner fund sorted. Thanks. Knock yourself out."

Mia held up the Nike bag, "Where can I change?"

"We don't have a changing room as such and the staff toilets are small, the store room will have to do."

Toby thought about the garage after Anita's accident, started getting a little hot under the collar. "Sure, thanks. Where is it?"

Sophie helped Flash empty packs of ice over Max. "Nice trunks Max. Yellow suits you."

"Thank you Sophie."

"How did you know about the little airport?"

"Fred. He studied all the different aircraft that flew over the estate when we first lived there, worked out from the directions they were traveling in which airports they might have come from or were going to."

"You're all very clever. Are you getting cold enough?"

"A few more minutes." Max wriggles his toes. "I need to get as cold as possible so I don't burn myself out when I transmit. My power cell will get a high current drain and get hot fast, my transmission circuit will also get hot."

"Your backup is good?"

Flash pats Max's large bag slung over one of her shoulders. "I would not let him do this if it hadn't finished okay."

[Chapter-42](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-42-1)


	42. Chapter 42

Mattie tries to block Hobb's droning out. Fuck could the man bang on. Forget water boarding, just send in a Hobb. Bore the victim to death with looping talk of the singularity. Bla bla bla noise noise noise. She was tempted to start a confession she'd never finish just to give her ears a rest. A Simon model walks in with a tray of food. Good. She was hungry. Very hungry.

Hobb smiles, "Ah! My order! Shame there's only enough stake for one."

Mattie watches the tray being placed on a trolley table, Edwin grab the knife and fork and cut into the blue steak. "Eww, that's so raw it's still got a pulse."

"You'll not want any then. Good."

"A glass of water would be nice."

"Simon, a _plastic_ cup of water for miss Hawkins please. We don't want her knocking it over and cutting herself."

Cut. Frig! Could the diamond in her ring do anything useful? She watches Simon leave the room. "Thanks. When did you get back from France?"

"That's private."

"Not wanting to bang on about vineyards? Cool."

As Edwin had moved forwards to eat he didn't see Poppy turn to frown at him and turn to smile at Mattie.

Mattie licked her lips. "I'll have a chip if you have any left."

"There won't be."

"You really are an evil bastard aren't you."

"I'm not evil, just a little greedy."

Mattie watched Poppy do a quick left-right twitch of her eyes. A lie. If the synth thought Edwin was evil what had he been up to?

Simon returns with a small cup of water. He places it on the table.

Hobb doesn't look up. "Your water."

"No straw?"

"No straw."

"How am I supposed to drink it with my hands behind my back?"

"I'm sure you'll work out a way."

"Poppy, can you bring the cup to me please?"

Poppy goes to stand. "Sit down!"

She does as asked.

Mattie sighs. "Simon, can you bring.."

"Simon, we don't need your services further, please go and charge."

Mattie gives Hobb the evil eye. "No straw, no assistance. How am I supposed to drink it?"

Hobb laughs, "Drink it? You didn't say anything about _drinking_ it."

"What else would I do with it?"

"Look at it while you dehydrate?"

Mattie has a good hard laugh, "Oh my days. Not evil. Right. You are a nasty little man."

Hobb takes the four colour biro from his jacket pocket and clicks it to red, makes a cross on a slip of paper. "For someone shorter than me that's rich. We'll leave you to think about things for a while. Sleep well miss Hawkins."

"Sleep? On what?"

"The floor or the chair. Take your pick."

"The floor looks hard and cold."

"You're better off staying with the chair then."

"What time is it?"

"Time you started the confession."

"No way."

"Then it's whatever time you think it is."

Mia stood in the makeshift changing room and drip dried onto an old discontinued bath mat. "You like my costume then?"

"Yeah. Lots. What next?"

"We go home. And we can share a warm shower."

"Sweet. So that's it? You've done all you needed to do?"

"I have. The rest is up to others. Do you remember when I sat charging and you reached out to touch me?"

"My _Why do they have to make you so fit_ moment? Yeah, why?"

"Come touch me."

Toby steps forward and reaches out a hand, gets it really close then pulls away. "Jesus! How cold are you?"

"One and a half degrees above freezing."

He puts his hand back and touches gently, "Good job you can't catch a chill." He gives her a light kiss. "You're an ice-cream on a hot summer's day, a breath of fresh air, a feast for the eyes, the wings that let my heart soar."

"Oh Toby."

Mattie stood and went to the cup. Now the others had left she could have a drink. She'd done enough apple bobbing as a kid and beer games as a teenager to know what to do. Sip as much as possible without moving the cup, then gently grip it between teeth and tilt it towards her, drink, lift it up when empty enough. Try and lift it too early and the plastic would buckle, she'd get a soaking. At least she wouldn't stink of beer this time if it went wrong. She'd been called Malty for a month plus.

The plastic cup obliged, kept itself together while she drank. She put it back carefully. He might be evil enough to say it was the only one they had. She walks around the room checking things out. The few draws and cupboards were locked tight. There was no fire extinguisher to smash him over the head with. Not that it mattered. With the room layout she had no way to surprise him, he'd see something like that coming a mile off. In her trance or dream, whatever it had been, she'd been in a vets. A disused one with some sorry looking animals that had helped rescue her situation. This place was empty. There wasn't even the sound of a clock ticking.

Her stomach rumbled. "For fuck sake. Not being able to call anyone is one thing, no food another. No music though? Hobb.. you're a wanker!" 

If it was warm enough she could strip off a little, fold something up into a pillow. There was nothing. And with hands bound she couldn't do anything. After a while it was decided that going into a low power mode was best. Conserve energy like a synth. Slow dehydration. She sat and sighed hard. This was going to get uncomfortable fast. And when she nodded off there was a good chance she'd fall off the chair. What if she hurt herself?

"What would Leo do?" Probably just sleep on the floor. She wasn't about to do that. Toby? He'd probably do the same. Sophie. Now Sophie would do something. The girl had an ability to sleep anywhere. And make it comfortable. Somehow.

[Chapter-43](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-43-1)


	43. Chapter 43

Poppy creeps into the room as instructed by Hobb. He was stood in the doorway watching, too close to disobey. Mattie was asleep, knelt on the floor with her head resting sideways on the chair. Her trainers had been pulled off, the laces removed. Each knee sat on one, helping keep her comfortable. The water jug is carefully placed on the table. She whispers super low. "Stay strong Mattie."

When Mattie woke she had no idea what time of day or night it was. Her mouth felt dry. She could have been asleep for minutes or hours. One thing was different. Major pins and needles in her legs. She went to say something, thought better of it. The room could be wired. With her legs numb she toppled as she tried to get up. At least she was awake, able to prevent her head smacking the hard floor. She rolled onto her side and let the tears flow. Her wrists stung. Her shoulders ached from having her arms behind her back. She needed a crap. No way was she going to soil her clothes. Sandra, Mia, had mentioned laxatives. Assuming she got out of this alive she'd take a box load.

It takes a good while for the pins and needles to pass. Eventually she feels good enough to get up. The water jug is spotted. "Oh ha fucking ha. I'm a monkey in a lab doing intelligence tests am I? If you can see me through a hidden camera watch this."

She bends and picks up the cup with her lips. It's positioned in the middle of the table at the near edge. Turning her back to the table she feels for the jug handle and carefully grabs it. The jug is slowly pulled around so that the handle is securely in both hands. She winces at the pain from the cable tie and tries to shut it out. Bending her elbows she lifts it and lets the bottom of the jug sit against her bottom.

Looking down she aligns herself with the middle of the table and carefully pushes the handle away from her back. There's the sound of water splashing onto the table and into the cup. 

After a few seconds the sound changes, the cup was full. A step to the left taken she works on getting the jug back on the table.

The cup of water drunk she sits down and watches the water that had missed the cup drip from the table top. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Her head starts feeling odd. The sound of the drips gets weirder with each one. Crap. The water wasn't just water. She'd been drugged. Fearing a fall she slides off the chair and drops to the floor. Her vision started doing trippy things. At least it wasn't just a truth drug that kept her otherwise awake and alert. She fades out of consciousness.

When Mattie wakes it's with a thumping headache. She keeps her eyes closed. "Look up Evil in the dictionary and there's a picture of Hobb."

"Talk to yourself a lot do you?"

Shit. He was back. "Now and again."

"Anything interesting said?"

"The usual sort of stuff."

"You must be starving, nothing to eat for two days now. Or at least you would be if you hadn't drunk a whole cup of that water in one go."

"What was in it?"

"A nice little cocktail of hunger and pain suppressants, something to make you more relaxed. Maybe you have an intolerance to one of them. Ready to confess?"

"Go fuck yourself."

"Come come, that's no way to talk. And why would I do that when I've got Poppy?"

So that's why she'd joined Team Hawkins. Come come? Cum cum. The thought of a wrinkled old Hobb with Poppy made her want to throw up. Ew. The dirty old fucker. "I bet she loves that. Not."

"We'll see you in another two days then. Give things some proper thought. Poppy, give her some plain water this time. No pain killers."

[Chapter-44](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-44-1)


	44. Chapter 44

The four synth super high power transmission had been done in seconds. The return message had taken days to work it's way back, jumping from synth to synth. The transmission had asked that the return communications be done discreetly.

Laura drove the lead car. She looks in the rear view mirror. Mia, Toby and Sophie were chatting.

David glanced sideways to see Laura glance at him. He was watching Sophie's iPad mini, earbuds in. He wasn't in Sandra's body now, thankfully. The choice of new body.. that had been found hysterical by Laura.

Michael kept a constant distance behind the lead car. Fred was riding shotgun, Max, Flash and Niska were in the back. Nobody was talking. There was a constant silent chatter over bump protocols.

Danny was driving the last of the three cars. Leo was riding shotgun, Emily sat in the back with the Hubert version of the professor and a sleeping Ji Dae-Sun. Her father was watching over the estate with Odi.

Emily watches her map updating. "Three minutes. Dan, the drone's fully charged."

"Cool, off you go then Leo."

The drone props spin up as Emily throws it up and out of the open sun roof.

Leo sits eyes closed, head wobbling. "If I throw up, sorry!"

"Sorry mate, we should have done training with you moving. Seeing much yet?"

"It's still climbing, give me a moment."

Emily checks the map. "Next left Dan."

Danny turns off and watches the two cars ahead continue to the next junction. "Good luck guys."

Michael notices Danny turning off and bumps to David.

David smiles, "Team three are getting into position. No word from Leo yet."

Laura looks in the rear view mirror, "Toby?"

"Sorry Mum, second left then first exit at the mini roundabout."

Leo rolls his head around, "He's got dozens standing around the perimeter with what looks like shotguns. I can't tell if they're synth or not."

The professor looks out the side window, "I'm up first then."

Michael turns off the next left. "Good luck Laura."

Mattie couldn't take the pain any more. But she wasn't about to take a piss with her jeans still on. She got to her feet and did a three sixty. The door handle was no good. The trolley table neither. All of the cupboards and draws had been checked before. All locked. She needed something.. fuck. She'd been sitting on it. The chair is kicked onto it's back. She squats down. Tears flow as her bladder keeps telling her brain it needs to empty. With one of the thin chair legs pushed painfully between cable tie and wrist sides she gets a foot onto a back leg and stands. The pain was like nothing she'd experienced before. Then the cable tie head snapped.

Jeans button undone she lowers the zip and gets to a corner of the room and peels them down just enough to get them out of the way, her knickers too. Hang on. Why here. If she needed to escape there was somewhere better.

The relief was fast. The smell.. not too bad. There's the sound of shouting in the distance. Hobb. Fuck! Her bladder was still emptying. "For fuck's sake. Nice timing. Not."

A few more seconds and she was done. She stands and gets herself decent, looks at the chair. If that was the only weapon she had it would have to do.

Stood by the hinge side of the door, back to the wall she listens to Hobb. And.. Hubert? Which Hubert though? Mass produced synths were a pain. Something to note for Max two. His voice would have to be made subtly different.

How many rooms did they have like this? Had Poppy moved her in the night to make Hobb think she'd escaped? It was either that or the old man had dementia and couldn't remember. She grips the two chair legs hard, looks at the back. It would be more effective if used sideways. The back wouldn't flex if struck sideways. She spins it and lets go, grabs another leg combination.

Footsteps get louder and she hears a key in the lock. Death match time. Winner walks away.

Only when she noticed blue synth fluid beginning to pool on the floor and mix with the urine he'd slipped on did she stop. She'd been relentlessly smashing him in the neck with the chair for what felt like minutes. Synths were notoriously strong. The neck must have a weak spot, he hadn't bothered trying to get up or resist in any way.

She turns at the sound of footsteps, gets back behind the door. They get closer.

There's laughter. "Oh. My. God! Dad? Playing dead?"

"No son. Just chilling out after a much deserved beating."

Son? Leo was _Edwin's_ son? What the actual fuck! Then the penny dropped. This was a synth on the floor. And David new how to switch bodies. "Bunny?"

Leo steps into the middle of the room, frowns, turns and sees her. "Thank God! Dad! She's okay!"

Edwin gets up. "I think I need a skin pack. Fast. You've got quite a fighter in you Mattie. Well done. Phase two Leo."

Mattie frowned. "Phase two? Bunny?"

"Prof Hubert pretended to be a pizza delivery synth, getting close to the many guards to work out if they were flesh and bone humans or synthetics. They're fleshlings as Toby calls them."

"Fabs."

"Hmm?"

"Flesh and bones."

"Right. He confirmed they were all fabs. I pretended to have dropped my keys, was back to find them."

"And you just walked in with Leo?"

"No. Leo snuck in the back way. With help from the rest of the family. They're at key perimeter locations with binoculars."

Leo smiles. "Head bump chat. It's really quite.. shit."

"It's shit?"

"It's good. The shit is Hobb is returning with Poppy."

"Bump to Poppy! Get her to stop him!"

"Done."

[Chapter-45](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-45-1)


	45. Chapter 45

Hobb flew forward and was caught as the seatbelt locked. "Damn it Poppy!"

Poppy twitched and shook. "Sir. I appear to have developed a systems fault. I do not deem it safe for me to be driving."

Hobb snarls at her, unbuckles her seatbelt, then his own. He gets out and closes his passenger door, walks around the front and opens the drivers door. He grabs her arm and pulls. "Get out you worthless piece of junk!"

She felt all sorts of emotions while being raped by him. Now she felt something she'd not felt before. Hurt, rejection and anger all mixed into one. She looks towards the trees and frowns. Message accepted she grabs Hobb by the head and twists fast. If she'd been human the crunching, snapping, grinding noise might have been sickening. His body went limp and sagged, hung from his head held tightly in her hands. She lets go and lets it drop to the ground.

Another message. Car boot opened she puts his body in the back and lowers it, slams her shoulder into it cutting skin. Boot closed and back in the car she buckles up and smiles, it was only a few hundred yards to the lab.

Leo carefully celotapes up the cable tie head. "There, that should fool anyone who's not looking super close. I'll see you in moment Angel, we need to move fast."

"Be careful Bunny."

"I will." He gives her a fast kiss. "Remember Dad, it's Miss Hawkins or Matilda, not Mattie."

"I'm a synth now son, you should know I won't forget."

Poppy pulled up out front, got skin packs from the glove box. She steps out and looks at the armed guard. "Where is Professor Hobb please? I've been attacked and injured, I need a skin pack application."

"Where?"

She turns, "On my shoulder."

"Stupid dolly, I meant where were you attacked?"

"On the road. They fled in a van."

"Did you see the registration mark?"

"No."

"Hobb's inside. Forgot his keys."

"Thank you." She steps to the door just as Hobb and Mattie are coming out. "Here he is."

"We're leaving! This site's been compromised. Guards, I want four of you armed and in a car now! Poppy, you're driving."

"Okay sir." She opens the rear passenger door for Mattie. "Get in."

"You'll not get away with this!"

Hobb laughs, "Won't we? We'll see about that." He turns to one of the remaining men. "Your gun please." He holds out a hand.

Hubert smashes the steering column lock on the black Volvo repeatedly until it finally breaks. His hand was now damaged beyond repair. He didn't care, a new body would be ready in a few days. And he'd not remember this when he woke in it once more the professor. He fiddles with wires until the engine starts. He bumps on high power.

Mattie kept playing her part, wriggling, pretending to try and break free, shouting obscenities at Hobb.

"Miss Hawkins. Do shut up." The car with guards pulls up behind. Hobb, David Hobb, nods. "Okay, we'll be in touch with a new location. Lock this one up and head to your homes."

"Boss?"

"Yes?"

"You've got synth fluid on the back of your shirt collar?"

He shakes his head. "Poppy you naughty girl, I told you to keep your hands to yourself!"

"Sorry sir."

Hobb turns back to the man. "Lock up."

"You've got keys sir."

"So do some of you! I'm not hanging around to do it when I pay you lot to do a job. Do I need to bang on about it?"

"No sir."

"Then get to it!"

As they sped away Mattie chuckled. "Bang on. Was that one of his favourite phrases?"

"Can you tell?" David smirks. "Get your arms in front and buckle up just in case Hubert misses."

"Misses?"

"You'll see."

"When?"

"In approximately five seconds."

Mattie moves fast, didn't need telling twice. She has two seconds to see the Volvo speeding towards the cars. He must have been doing a ton easily. They're out of the way when he smashes into the front of the other Volvo sending it spinning towards the trees, all airbags deployed.

David claps his hands, "Perfect. Our lone attacker stops the guards. Goodbye prof, see you in the new body."

Mattie wriggles and turns to see out of the rear window. "Goodbye?"

"He's going into high power melt down as we speak."

"Why?"

"Destruction of evidence. Slow down Poppy, he's close."

Poppy slows the car down, Leo comes running from the trees.

"Frigging hell that's fast! Go Bunny Go!"

Leo does a skidding slide to the car, opens the door. "One DCL laptop Angel. Get in the back please Poppy."

Poppy does so, Leo gets behind the wheel.

"Angel, get a full backup of Poppy please, she's having one of the Poppy bodies at the estate."

"Why?"

"She's doing a Hubert with this one."

"Why?"

"The real Hobb is in the boot."

"Shit! I bet he's mad!"

Poppy smiles. "He's dead. I snapped his neck. He can't do any evil any more."

"What! You killed him? How?"

"Instructions from Hubert."

David turns, "While you back Poppy up can we use my device on Edwin? I want to pull all the memories I can, undo anything nasty he's done."

Leo frowns, "Will it work?"

"His brain should be alive enough, just."

[Chapter-46](http://markse.name/humans/GOOD-GIRL/Chapter-46-1)


	46. Chapter 46

Mattie and Leo watch from a safe distance. Hobb had been put in the passenger seat, his belt done up.

Poppy waved, "See you soon!"

Mattie waved back. "Thanks for being on Team Hawkins."

They watch as Poppy drives fast into a thick wall breaking the engine block. It's not long before the car catches alight.

"Angel we should go."

"Okay. See you soon Poppy." She walks towards the main road.

As they're all being collected by Danny Poppy's power cell ruptures with a loud bang.

"FRIGGING HELL!"

"That's why you never want to keep using a broken charger Angel. And why I'm paranoid about power levels."

"Shit. What if the prince overcharged?"

Danny shakes his head, "Unlikely. I've got triple protection in his circuits. I wasn't going to let my father in law go up like that."

Emily pats the car seat, "Get in babes, you look like shit."

"Thanks a bunch. So would you. How many days was I in there?"

"You don't know?"

"No. The wanker drugged me. No clock, no daylight."

"Four days."

"Shit."

"Enough time to build the Hobb copy. Good isn't he?"

Mattie laughed, "Had me fooled. How did you get him so realistic?"

"That's my way of saying sorry for getting you into this mess."

She looks at Dr Ji. "Your way?"

Leo taps her on the shoulder, "Budge up."

"Where?"

"Can you sit on my lap then?"

She rolls her eyes, "Go on then."

Sat sideways on his lap she frowns at the doctor. "Your way?"

"I was the only one in our group to have met him recently. David used his thing on me, pulled my memories of Edwin's voice and appearance. The build machine did a good job on his body, Daniel's mother and her Cindy made the clothes."

David turns, "There's a Little Chef three miles away, we're all meeting there."

"Frigging hell, you may have done a brilliant rescue job but you're not clear yet. We need to get a lot of distance between us and Hobb's goons. Drive close to each other, you can bump messages and proxy if you need to talk to Mum."

"Okay. Back to base?"

"Yeah. I need a shower. And a few other things."

Danny drives down the slip road onto the dual carriage way. "So what's the plan for you David?"

He smiles. "The copy of my wife was made to appear human even to another synthetic. I will continue the role of Edwin Hobb, confess to being the one to wake up all my family."

"So Mia can be set free. The one being held by Tabs?"

"Yes."

Leo had relayed the message to his siblings, got a reply. "Laura says she can't defend you David, Mattie proved to be a good Bond Girl, not villain."

"I don't want Edwin defending well. I'll find a lawyer who's about to retire, won't mind going out with a losing case. He's going to hell."

Leo frowns.

"After a good backup and forking into a new David Elster body of course. With a few years off the clock. I'd not want to do a Poppy or Hubert beforehand. And I'd quite like to see Poppy again, she's quite sweet."

"Dad, did you hide anything else in our root code, other than the tree of life?"

"I'm not saying. Yet. Let's go free Mizosuaniaka, then we need to brainstorm more crazy ideas. We have a world to save somehow remember?"


End file.
